Cold Play
by Iname
Summary: Yuki's decided sensei Shindou is his. Play it cold.
1. Our New Teacher

**AN: All I have to say is all thanks goes to Tsubaki. A wonderful, wonderful beta! If it wasn't for her, this chapter would be reduced to half, and this story would never have been conceived completely. Thank the great god-mother of my baby: Tsubaki-san Well, ladies and gentlemen, I give to you my newest work: Coldplay (the title may need changing).**

**Disclaimer: Gravi's not mine**

**Rated: M **

Chapter One

Two months.

Two months and Yuki Eiri or anyone for the matter hadn't managed to get rid of him yet. Why? He had asked himself countless times, the new teacher was no better than the last one. In fact, he was worse.

Shuichi Shindou. A young man of twenty-two years with bright flashing pink hair and sparkling amethyst orbs, who claimed to be a 'smart teacher. The replacement for last year's teacher that students of Genesis High School Academy had driven out.

He had an extraordinary look, and a dramatic personality to match Shindou Shuichi, teacher of Class Four, ran around the school like a wild animal. He went to lunch breaks with his students, rounded the school in the afternoon, warning any remaining students that they were locking up, before leaving campus.

He sang loudly from the teachers' faculty room and could be heard all the way down the hall to room four. He didn't try to suppress his laughter when overhearing conversations unintended for his ears, and when it happened to be a bad joke about him, all he did was laugh some more before skipping along on his way.

The least he could do was at least give detention slips.

Yuki Eiri was in Shindou-sensei's class, most unfortunately. He was the school's biggest player, and in justice to his formidable reputation, he often sent the school's news line sky-rocketing with his 'hot' adventures involving rich foreign girls and even more with Orientals.

At first sight Eiri knew that the man was going to be in trouble. There was no way that the older man's innocence would be left unscathed if he stayed in this particular Academy, and strangely…the student found himself worrying about it.

The teacher was much too gullible, to easy to manipulate- and to top it all, Shindou-san was oblivious to it all! That heavenly borne quality annoyed the hell out of the hot blonde student…yet at the same time, he found himself hoping this positivism would never dissipate.

**O-o-o-o-o-o-o-O**

"Good morning class!"

The talking ceased immediately in Class Four as all heads turned to the front of the room.

The door opened and in walked their much un-loved principal Seguchi Tohma. However, the high-pitched voice did not come from the eternally calm and focused Seguchi. It was from a head that had poked in from the halls, a head with a pink bush for 'hair'.

The students returned to their seats and Eiri, who was sitting at the very back minding his own business and gazing distantly into the blue sky, turned at the commotion.

"G' morning." the students half**-**heartedly mumbled, staring at the bizarre sight of the pink haired atrocity walking in after Seguchi Tohma.

The school principal raised a dainty, gloved, hand and beckoned towards the unknown man. He had that mischievous smile that only Eiri recognized. Not only that, he also caught those aquamarine eyes directly pointing at him as if to command 'pay attention because-'

"Class, due to the retirement of your last teacher, Sensei Megaru," Tohma began, only stopping to allow a group of talking girls to stop. All students made sure then they were silent, "Due to her submission of retirementlast year," he repeated, "I've assigned to you a new sensei. Class, this is your new homeroom and first period teacher, Shindou-san."

Everyone blinked.

Surely he wasn't serious? That pink hair and foreign looking eyes? And what about those clothes- ripped up jeans and wife beater with a brown jacket? Even students dressed better than him! Eiri snorted inwardly and turned his attention back out the window.

As always, Tohma blabbed on and on about how he expects them to treat their new teacher. Eiri couldn't help but wonder if this 'Shindou-san' was aware of the events that had precipitated Megaru-sensei's retirement. If he had, he would be aware it had evolved into a teacher's greatest horror story… and he would be a lot more wary of the class he was about to devote himself to.

It really wouldn't surprise him if the teacher didn't. Their principal and other administrators tended to 'conveniently' forget that part when they hired new teachers... most especially when it came to this class, the 'Bad luck' class number four.' Funny how that superstition applied to the situation… 1

"Yuki Eiri?"

Said student snapped out of his thoughts and mentally slapped himself for spacing out. He hadn't realized that the principal had already left, leaving the handful of students in the hands of the bratty looking teacher.

Hng, 'bratty, 'brat. That fit his exotic sensei perfectly.

"Here." was the answer, and Yuki did not miss his teacher's awed look as the man considered his appearance. Almost everyone who first met himdropped everything to speculate on his pale featured hair and eyes. These features that were not commonly seen in Japan had even caused, on more than one occasion, feelings of hatred withinhis family…

Shindou-san nodded at him, smiling almost innocently, and placed the attendance board down before sitting himself on the empty long table at the front of the green board. Swinging his legs to and fro, then side to side like a bored child, his wide grin returned as he viewed the class.

"Let's start over okay? That guy was so stuffy!" he giggled, not seeming to care if others didn't want to acknowledge him. "My name is Shuichi Shindou, I'm twenty two and..." he paused as though not knowing what else to say before he piped up with, "I like strawberries!"

A group of girls giggled, and some broke into smiles. Eiri rested the side of his chin on his right palm with his pencil resting against his cheek, attention slightly caught.

"Let's see..." Shindou-sensei hopped off and made his way to the chalkboard. Upon writing his name in hiragana 2 he set his chalk down and commented, "Anyways, I guess you guys are stuck with me for some time." He rubbed the back of his neck, sticking his tongue out as he said, "Also, my mother said that teaching wasn't the right career from me, but I'm here, so...you'll have to suffer that too!"

There were a few more donations of laughter echoing in the room now, and the students seemed to take in the weird looking punk as their teacher. They seemed to be quickly accepting his easy going sense of humor and open personality.

"Does anyone have anything to share that they did exciting during the summer?" the pink haired man asked. Upon returning to his desk, he proceeded to sit on the table top, "Don't be shy." When no hands came up, he perked up, "I know! I'll start! This summer...let's see...this summer I found a new club that's great hanging at, and my girlfriend dumped me!"

A few girls 'awww'd" at the comment, warming up to their teacher even more. _Sappy little creatures._ Eiri thought. Then one girl in the front row stood up and sheepishly offered, "I drew a painting of Tokyo City."

Eiri noticed that only her small group of friends clapped at the sharing thought. Predictably, so did Shindou-sensei, clapping the loudest.

"I'd like to see that some time Hanako-san!" he exclaimed.

How the hell did he remember her name? The gaijin 3 looking student stared expressionlessly as more students drew courage and shared their activities during the long break of the summer.

He tried to pay attention, but Eiri's eyes seemed to constantly wander from whoever was speaking back to his strange looking sensei. The student soon found himself amused by the parade of expressions across the teacher's face from horror to amusement, as he listened to the students continuing on their stories.

When Shindou-sensei turned his head and caught Eiri's hard gaze, the student forced himself to look out the window, half embarrassed at being caught staring.

"Eiri-kun, did you want to share something also?" The teacher called, surprising half the class, which reflexively turned their heads to the best looking student in the room.

"Really Yuki-kun?" the girls asked collectively. The possibility was uncharacteristic of Yuki Eiri, who never paid attention to anything, let alone offer his own opinion.

Eiri remained silent. He knew that Shindou-sensei would catch on to the silent treatment and hopefully decide that maybe provoking a student, especially him, on the first day of school wasn't the best strategy,

"No?" was the disappointed question. When there was no more reply, Eiri thanked the Gods the man backed off.

Everyone liked their new teacher well enough to leave Eiri alone and return their attention to the teacher, listening for whatever game Shuichi had planned next. Then Eiri got to wondering if the class liked their new teacher enough to let him remain.

Class Four took savage pleasure from inflicting pain on their teachers. They had caused more than enough grief these past three years they had been in the prestigious high school. Systematically, half a dozens of teachers had been forced to submit letters of apology and retirement to their Principal within the first month of employment.

This had caused some problems, but none of the school officials could pin point one person causing it since all students maintained their innocence. Every student in Eiri's class were from powerful families with some kind of influence in the world, and only the Gods knew what would happen should Seguchi or any of the monitors of the school grounds reprimand the wrong student.

Eiri glanced at the clock and sighed heavily. It looked like he had spaced out of the whole first period and, before he knew it, his sensei Shuichi was gathering his coat saying, "This has been a very good beginning of the year for me. I hope to learn from the students this year as you learn from me also." and with that he walked towards the door.

"Bye sensei!" the students called, cheerily waving at the man as if he were younger than them.

Yuki Eiri waited a moment for the bell to ring, the indication for teachers to switch. At the sound, he stood and made his way out the classroom, ignoring the empty stares from his fellow students.

**O-o-o-o-o-o-o-O**

Two months.

That's how it had been for two months.

Eiri would come in the morning, stay for the first hour of school and then ditch. He didn't know why, but it amused him to see the reaction of his classmates at the older man's antics, or maybe it was Shuichi's antics alone that baffled him. He wasn't sure.

On the first day of school, Shuichi had alreadymemorized all the student's names. At the end of the second week, Shindou-sensei knew where everyone sat for lunch. By the end of the first month, only Shuichi remained as the one person who hadn't been victimized by class four.

When the end of the second month came around, Eiri and most of the students who once had the habit of ditching school before it even started, remained for as long as the first subject, leaving the class half empty by second period.

Today, Eiri arrived in school earlier than the usual, and as he pulled his car into his personalized and named 'seniors' lot, he caught sight of a figure not too far away. The person was getting out of the passenger side of an unfamiliar car.

Sensei?

The student watched as his diminutive teacher waved good bye at the rapidly departing car, staring down the street until the pink haired freak finally noticed it was far gone.

When the speculated man turned around, Eiri feigned a blind eye and started heading for the school building. It had been like that for some time, too. Every single time the teacher would look at him, Eiri had to turn away. It wasn't that he was timid. It was just...something close to a habit.

Heaven forbid should the student admit he liked looking at his sensei. That and the fact that after the first two months, Eiri had already resolved to protect that glowing virtue inside his teacher.

Shindou-sensei had become a 'must' teacher.

He must remain in Genesis Academy.

**O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O**

**AN: Hello! Thank you for reading, and if you can, will you please review? I'm new at High School AU's so I need as much help as possible. If possible, will you leave some? Thank you very much for reading!**

1 The superstition in Japan is that the number 4, being 'shi' means 'death' and so it's been established as bad luck.

2 One of the Japanese writing systems

3 Foreign

**AN: Not sure how this will be taken, but I hope you guys will review to tell me**

**Any comments/ suggestions/ constructive criticism/ flames (I have a chicken that protects me)-etc. Oh, and please feed my chicken. He's very hungry. Anything will suffice.**


	2. Confucianism and THAT

**AN: Hey I'm back, with my second chapter made UBBER cool by Tsubaki. Her interpretation on what I want on paper is very good. Tsubaki will become facous for sure someday (maybe she already is). Thanks Tsubaki! Lots of my love go to you!**

**Thankies for all the wonderfuly reviews! I'm quite uncertain where I get more review from, either or **

Two: Confucianism and THAT

Genesis high school was a very prestigious school. There weren't very many things you could do to be eligible in attending the school, and if you were rich the answer would still be 'maybe'.

Influence and connections would only get you so far, maybe enough to meet the school head where if you threw yourself down on the ground, begged, or threatened to kill yourself, or the principal for the matter, you might only receive one of two responses: No, and no.

The best ticket into the academy was only one thing: talent.

So the story goes that ten years ago, Seguchi Tohma awoke one dreary morning in his luxurious house to find himself wondering what his purpose in life was. Talented himself, bored with being surrounded by idiots, and not wanting for his life to continue on like so, the man built himself a school. With it, he promised he would gather only the most talented of children in the world, school them properly and send them all into the world armed with figurative bazookas while children from lesser schools were armed with only water guns.

When Seguchi had hired the construction teams to build his school, he was certain all would be perfect…except he'd had one oversight: He had forgotten the beliefs of superstitions. Such a proper man in his early twenties never believed in such things and that may have been the reason why he was quite ahead in his life but, needless to say, the perfect man had allowed a flaw in his building.

That flaw existed in the form of a certain Room Four.

Sensibly enough, the rooms were lined in the sequence of one to six, with year levels marked 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 1-4, 1-5, 1-6, so on and so forth. But the unlucky number four had not been done without, much the same way most high rise building exist with a mysteriously missing 13th floor.

When he found himself with this dilemma, it had worried him. There were, after all, families out there with astonishingly talented children who still believed in preposterous housewives' pish-posh. Families who believed the hundred-year-old sayings and used them to keep their kids in line. To accommodate his superstitious and often wealthy clientele, even if he didn't want to because it meant lost profits, Seguchi-san barricaded the doorway of Room Four. And when the complaints persisted, he was finally forced to cement the whole frame of the damn door.

Well that cemented room couldn't be there forever with students pouring in from all over the world! The room was needed, the door block had to be undone; with a little discount on scholarships and such, willing students were assembled to comprise room number four. There were twenty-four of the lucky little miscreants. In the formula of fourteen girls and ten boys, sweet class number four was created.

Sweet as poison, that is.

Poor Seguchi had no idea where he went wrong. The students had seemed nice enough when he interviewed and admitted them, but the trouble had only begun brewing.

Every year for the past four years, the principal found himself receiving mountains of resignation letters. It had gotten quite out of hand in that he found himself facing numerous submissions every semester. If he had wanted to, the man could have created a scrapbook! Now the submissions themselves, despite the unusually high volume, were not the problem. It was that the departing teachers and submitted resignations were accompanied by the nastiest of rumors that Class Four was solely to blame for each and every one.

"What am I doing wrong?" Seguchi had asked himself, all alone in his office late one night. "Why are you doing this?" he agonized. He could think of no answer, and so resorted to the practice that always solved things for him in the past.

Research.

The next day, class four and the rest of the school expected the principal to customarily shout his head off for their usual transgressions; instead they were faced with a transformed man. Tohma, with dark bags beneath his weary eyes, calmly stepped from his office, assessed the damage, paid for its reparations, smiled beatifically at the students and went right back into his office as if nothing had ever been wrong.

From that day forward, Seguchi Tohma was a changed man. His calm and unflappable façade was born…and no one understood why.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

If one was to look at the history of class four, one would see one thing had remained constant since the beginning of its time: Its students had always been possessive of everything.

From partnership pairings with underclassmen to class projects selection, to class projects selection, class four was vicious in keeping their staked claims over their 'possessions'. It didn't help that they stood in solidarity over the matter, one of the few things they could all agreed on, like a little army of the republic of class four.

Their motto: Mess with one, face the whole.

Perhaps the only person unaffected by this was Yuki Eiri, the newest addition to the class, over whom too many had laid claim. Not even class four's force could do anything about that. But that was the class' worst kept secret, and the only unofficial exception.

What was not an exception however, included the dearly loved Shindou-sensei, recent addition to class four's list of 'belongings'. He was _their_ teacher, _their_ instructor and most definitely _the class_ was his self-proclaimed _first and utmost priority_. Woe _will_ betide anyone who defied this golden rule. Naturally it followed all twenty-four students of class four could be found sharpening their knives when, in the middle of a lecture, an underclassman from 3-5 unceremoniously interrupted to engage their teacher in a little chat…

"Really sensei?" the boy asked, "You really think I'll pass the test?"

In the back row, the most possessive of them all, Yuki Eiri's temper fuse began to recede like the countdown on an angrily ticking bomb. Was this the same geek who couldn't pass his Nationals Test? More importantly, the class collectively fumed; didn't the boy have his own teacher to run to?

"Yes. You really will!" the teacher excitedly replied.

Eiri's breath hitched when he heard that laugh, that uplifting song that was surely heaven made. However, the blonde frowned and focused more on the fact that his sensei had disregarded class in the middle of a lecture. All it had taken was for a junior to come in to ask for the kind sensei's blessing before taking a pre Nationals Test. Angrily, he contemplated how his sensei had stopped everything just to fucking talk to a damned junior geek…

When another laugh burst from the duo in front of the room, Yuki Eiri decided he'd had enough. God, fucking gullible! He inwardly screamed, didn't the teacher know he belonged to class four? Didn't the man know how jealous he got when he wasn't the one making his teacher laugh like that?

Eiri paused. Did he just admit he was fucking jealous of a junior? That made him even madder.

Shuichi had only caught a glance of Eiri walking towards the door when he suddenly remembered his class…which currently was not yet over.

"Eh? Yuki-kun? Where are you going? Class isn't over-"

"I'm leaving." He interrupted flatly, slinging his bag over his shoulders, and then repeating for unnecessary emphasis, "_Leaving._"

"But Yuki-kun," Shuichi called, his attention back to his class, "We aren't finished with the lecture yet. We still have-"

"It doesn't look like it to me." Eiri replied throwing a hard gaze at his teacher, before ignoring the man's expression of shock and hurt, and exited the classroom. As he shut the door behind him, Eiri heard countless chairs scraping back as well…

"You're such an idiot, Sensei." One of the students scolded, and it wasn't sounding like much of a joke either.

The departing student looked over his shoulder as he walked away to see a large group of fellow students trooping out after his lead, leaving the room just as he'd done. Most threw passing reprimands at their heavenly teacher, certainly maiming him from flying with his usual zeal.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

"Do you think sensei will be alright?" Hanako asked, quite concerned.

The students had no where to go without looking suspicious and so set their warring camp on the rooftop of Genesis' main building.

Eiri had just been listening from around the corner, behind the stairwell wall, as the other students vented their anger for their teacher. Four hours later everyone had exhausted themselves complaining, yet no one moved a muscle to go back inside.

Then the girls started, whispering to each other about their Sensei's shocked and hurt expression when, quote, 'his little babies turned on him one by one.' They described the expression which had accompanied this statement, one that more than a few saw. Those who overheard how their actions had affected their Sensei nervously avoided eye contact, obviously more than a little guilty.

Even Eiri.

"Wasn't that a little too mean?" Anne whispered, one of Hanako's circle of friends.

"I think we really did a number on him," another interjected from outside the group, a guy this time.

The eavesdropper silently agreed. One student insulting a teacher was bad enough, but to see twenty-four others up and leave the class without explanation? That and the harsh words they'd parted with… it must have truly hurt. Eiri berated himself. He felt he was to blame for instigating the whole thing. Even if he hadn't planned how the whole class would follow up on the whole 'mess with one, face the whole' motto, he should have considered how anger had ways of re-awakening old habits.

The blonde's ears perked when he heard a girl's muted cry, "This is all Yuki-kun's fault!"

"Don't talk like that about him, he's one of us!" argued a male voice. "Besides, sensei was the one who wasn't paying attention to us!"

"You're just in love with Yuki-kun…"

"I'm straight, damn it!!"

At that, Yuki had to shake his head. True no one could see him from where he stood, but didn't they ever think to check who might overhear them before speaking? Of course not. He stealthily sidled up behind the little group, casting a sudden shadow over them. Startled, they looked over behind and…

"Yu-Yuki-kun!" someone squeaked.

Eiri stood menacingly over them, eyes scanning the crowd of frightened eyes, a cigarette hanging out of the corner of his lips. It made most of them blush in deep shades of red.

Putting out the flame of his 'cancer stick' Eiri wordlessly picked up his bag and headed back inside.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Truth to be told, Eiri was worried.

Not a large worry, just a small one…

Small yet significant… He wasn't certain he liked it, he had never cared before.

But he had been flooded with guilt from the very moment he'd seen his teacher's wounded expression. He was almost dizzy with his anger, but still he remembered the teacher's very clear reactions. How that smooth face had creased, those perfectly shaped eyebrows drawing together in confusion, and shoulders gently sagging. He could only imagine how Shuichi must have felt when most of the class had successively thrown in their own harsh words.

"Prince Shoutoku during the Asuka period is the one who mainly promoted two kinds of religion in Japan…"

Eiri slumped against the wall by classroom four, recognizing his sensei's voice from the room next door. It was heavier than usual, but it still had a tone of sweetness that made Eiri's toes curl.

"The two main religions were Buddhism, and Confucianism," Eiri listened to the muffled voice travel, and absently deduced the man was walking around the room while reading aloud. "Buddhism is a religion originally from India, and Confucianism is a belief of respect. The great supporter of this at the time, Shoutoku, quoted_, 'A man must have discipline and respect first, if to be expected to rise beyond man's expectation._'" There was an abnormally long pause before Shindou-sensei continued, "Through Shoutoku's promotion, and Suiko-hime's 1 urgings, both subjects were finally accepted in Japan-"

'DING. DING. DING.'

Eiri listened to the feet shuffling inside the room, and a moment later both sets of classroom doors opened to free the enslaved students. Unlike he, they didn't seem to appreciate listening to the teacher's voice. As if blind, the students trudged past him. Soon, he knew, a certain teacher would emerge…

He hadn't planned this far. He was torn between walking away and wanting to see how his sensei was. The room was right next door to his anyway and it was now lunch time, so he had a valid reason for being in the hallway. He would face the man and just be careful not to show his true intentions--

"Yuki-kun!" exclaimed a startled voice.

Eiri turned and stared deeply into Shindou-sensei's violet eyes. Both were silent for a moment, the sound of his name echoing in Eiri's head.

Shindou-sensei's welcoming smile wasn't the same but at least it was still a smile, and his eyes were darker though they still sparkled. Eiri noticed his sensei's full pink lips, the bare bit of chest peeking from the slightly parted shirt…

Okay getting out of hand there, Eiri thought, shaking inside.

"Anoo…etoo…" Shuichi stammered before blurting, "I have extra lunch. Would you like to claim it?"

Eiri blinked.

Blushing a little, Shindou-sensei explained, "You see, Noriko-san wanted me to give her some more…after last time, but she's not here today since Principal Seguchi has her looking after another class…" The man trailed off, obviously flustered, but offered a sheepish little smile. "I would normally hand it over to Hanako-chan, but she left early today…. after everyone else did…" He looked away, expression downcast.

Quietly, so Eiri had to strain to hear, Shindou-sensei murmured, "I was just thinking that since you're here and it is lunch time, you might…" He trailed off again. Looking embarrassed, he spoke up again, the words making Eiri's fluttering heart suddenly sink down to his stomach, "Never mind. I'll guess I'll just wait for Hanako-chan and her friends to come by." Shindou-sensei turned to retreat back into the classroom, shoulders slumped in defeat, and it was only then the wheels started spinning in Eiri's head.

Lunch with Shuichi… and those bitches? As if…

"Sure, sensei." Eiri smirked inwardly at the teacher's slow-motioned turn. He shrugged, "I'll eat. I'm hungry anyway." Then, as if the morning's events had never happened, Shindou-sensei's smile came slowly sweeping across his face, and those mournful amethyst eyes brightened and widened, reminding him of purple lilies during a storm.

"I'm so relieved!" Eiri heard the Baka excitedly say. His Baka… He liked the ring to it. His Baka, who was now hopping about like a maniac looking as though Christmas had come early. The man pulled out a rather large, traditional bento box with ten wooden layers and pretty soon, Eiri found a buffet of home-cooking set out before him. The food wasn't five starred, but any day Shindou-sensei ever asked the boy to eat with him again, Eiri was certain not to give a damn.

Halfway through lunch period, Eiri realized he'd never felt as lighthearted as did at that moment. Sensei told him jokes, which made him smile inside even though his expression remained coolly unchanged. Suddenly, one quip made Eiri smile outright and it was then he realized he was having fun… maybe, too much fun…

God! He had just figured out a few weeks ago that he liked his sensei…but not, not in THAT way!

Right?

Right?!

"I- I have to go now sensei." Eiri said abruptly, quickly getting to his feet, his expression darkening. Shindou-sensei stared up at him, startled, eyes a little wide.

"O-of course…"

Eiri turned away, but still felt the gaze on his back. A few steps away, he was arrested when that lovely voice hesitantly called to him, "Yuki-kun?" Half-turning, he met Shindou-sensei's warm eyes, uncertain of what to expect.

Smiling, Sensei spoke gently, "If you see the others. Tell them I miss them… Okay?"

Eiri paused. He could see his teacher wasn't angry, as usual, for his class' disrespectful antics. Carefully, he nodded, turned on his heel and left. He walked away rapidly, needing to get away… and it wasn't until he was half way up the stairs that he remembered his bag.

Shit, Eiri thought, and with the distance he had covered he was getting rather tired. He didn't really want to go back to the room, but then again there was the added bonus of seeing his teacher again…

By the time he finished deciding what to do, it was already belated. His feet were carrying him forward by themselves… It was as if the thought of seeing his pink-haired baka, someone way older than he and his teacher to boot, motivated his body to go. His feet followed his body's desires, and he resisted the urge to run.

He didn't like him THAT way right? He growled to himself as he pushed the classroom door open. This was crazy.

"Sense-" Eiri cut himself off. His heart suddenly sped up in pace and his feet became heavy. His lungs strained for air, and sight before him wasn't helping him get any much needed oxygen…

His sensei…

Asleep.

Hair over his eyes, head resting in folded arms, cheek against his elbow.

Eiri silently made his way into the room, sliding the door shut noiselessly behind him. But instead of going for his bag lying just across his sensei's desk, he went the opposite way heading for a much greater prize. The serenely sleeping man entranced him, the slow rise and fall of breath hypnotized him, and on a choked breath he called the man's name again. There was no reply, and the student knew there was no holding back…

Without a second thought Eiri's left hand slowly lifted, reached… and finally touched the older man's head to slide slowly, lightly, over the pale pink head. The strands were softer than they looked, and he let them slip between his fingers as his hand made its way down to one pale cheek. Carefully, he made his way around the table, never breaking contact until he could slowly get down on one knee. There beside his Sensei, closer than he had ever been before, he took in the man's delicate features, eyes sliding over every angelic detail… the journey ending at those pink, luscious lips. His eyes froze on that soft bow, focused intently.

"Sensei," he wanted to be sure the man was really asleep. "Shindou-sensei…" He whispered again, bending, nearing, the smooth face growing in his vision. He didn't like the man THAT way… but just the smallest touch of those lips…or just the cheek for the matter… just one…

Unexpectedly, the older man stirred in his sleep and the student immediately noticed the red tint blooming across those tender cheeks. He breathed one word, just one, and it stopped Eiri cold as though suddenly frozen.

Still watching those tender lips, the movement of them softly caressing the whispered words, "Yu…Yuki-kun…"

He gasped in shock, snapping out of the spell. Abruptly aware of how he must look, Eiri realized what he was doing… had been about to do. Almost stumbling, he hurriedly stepped away. Shindou-sensei was waking! Adrenaline pumped through him, the awareness of the disaster that had almost happened dousing him icily. He dashed to the desk, snatched his bag and ran, ignoring the crash of breaking ornaments he had knocked over.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Part of the young man's panic was the realization that he didn't need to touch his Sensei to continue liking the man. He might have gotten into such big trouble over something he didn't need complicating his life! Eiri knew he was already infatuated with his teacher and perhaps it would only have made matters worse had he really gone ahead and touched the sleeping beauty. Regardless, this would indeed need some serious pondering on his part to--

"OW!"

Yuki shook his head free of his panic and out of his daze, immediately pulling on his mask of calm demeanor. With his signature glare on full power he glanced down at…

"Hanako?" He frowned. "What are you doing here?" his tone implied she'd just trespassed on something completely forbidden… which at this moment had been his daydream, never mind it was but shattering dreams.

Without warning, Hanako began to sob violently, "It's not fair!" she shouted, almost causing Eiri to drop his guard in surprise, "It's just not fair!" she screamed it this time, breaking into complete hysterics before wailing, "They-They're going to transfer Sensei out of our class!"

Eiri's insensitive façade of character, the guarded attitude that had made everything about him so mysterious, vanished completely in an instant. His gut twisted, and his breath was chased away.

Hanako wept brokenly, "Seguchi-san said he's going to take away Shindou-sensei!"

**O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O**

**AN: Well, there's second chapter for you. Please leave me any comment. And my chicken says thanks for the food! nudges chicken Right?**

**Chicken: Cluck cluck. More-cluck-more food-cluck-and review...cluck.**

**Anywho, please review your thoughs!**

**1 Princess (author's note) Hime is basically 'princess' however, I used it wrong on Suiko-sama, because she is actually an empress…I think. But anyways, I'm sorry if I've forgotten my Japanese history lesson**


	3. Disappointments and a Victory

**AN: Thank you very much for the reviews! They were inspiring to every last bit**

Chapter Three: Some Disappointments Are Worth the Victory

Eiri wasn't paying attention to the fact that his car door hadn't opened yet since he jabbed a selected key from his key-chain nearly five minutes ago.

School was over, and what had started out as a brilliant day for class four had all gone down the drain. Hanako and the class wailed their eyes out to him, after sharing their account of what had happened as soon as he had turned his back from his irresponsible classmates on the rooftop.

Had this been any other sensei, Eiri would have scoffed, blown his classmates off and hurried home with a gleeful smile at yet another successful accomplishment of throwing a teacher out. But that wasn't the case anymore, not since two months ago when his Shindou-sensei had come into his life… and definitely not when Eiri had just started making headway into healing the void inside of him that was still curing from the earlier events.

Ten minutes had gone, and when Eiri realized that the door was still not opening, he cursed loudly and openly. He ripped his focus off the dilemma long enough to discover he had been trying to use his house key on the lock; stringing together another round of curses, he switched to the right key. He settled himself into the comforting leather sanctuary of the only material possession he truly valued, his Mercedes Benz. His mind wandering back to his problem, he cursed again before gunning the throttle and rapidly speeding off.

Could this day get any worse?

**O-o-o-o-o-o-o-O**

Eiri had refused to show any concern.

He was not about to let his classmates know how much he cared. But he was still part of Class Four and so once Hanako had calmed, he allowed her to drag him up the stairs to the roof top where the guilt-ridden class four students nervously fidgeted. Most of the girls were taking their sweet time clearing up their tears of anguish. Eiri smirked inwardly remembering how students and school staff alike had all gossiped about how these ruthless little monsters couldn't shed a single tear.

"So what happened?" Eiri inquired; his voice solid and demanding. It took some time, listening to stilted and emotionally-clouded renditions and piecing everything together, but he figured he had gotten it straight. He methodically enumerated the facts in his head:

1) After he had left, some of the students had gathered and discussed the appearance of the junior geek, which caused some fires of anger to rekindle,

2) The lunch bell rang and a girl who suddenly recalled both the name of the junior boy in question, Gregory, and where he usually had lunch, revealed the information to her classmates,

3) A group within class four decided that it was Gregory's fault they had hurt their sensei and came to the conclusion that Gregory therefore NEEDED to be punished for the crime,

4) Another set of students yanked the poor boy from the halls and dragged him off, not hiding what they intended to do as the boy shouted for his life,

5) There were witnesses,

6) Seguchi Tohma was informed,

7) Using his well known techniques of just appearing out of nowhere, the principal arrived just in time to stop the fight.

Seguchi Tohma berated the whole class without raising the volume of his voice but he hadn't needed to. His words were much more painful…

"I had thought that Shindou-sensei was having a good effect on you." He had started as soon as one of his hall monitors, Noriko-san, had all the guilty students lined up. "For the past two months, he has been the only one untouched by your animalistic behaviors. And also, Shindou-sensei had informed me that you were all well behaved in his presence and that there were no problems. But I see now that the fault not only lies on with that young man for having allowed you all to walk out of his class this morning, but also with me."

"Get over there!" Noriko hissed, annoyed at missing her own lunch period, glaring at some of the resisting students trying to sneak away from the line up.

The lecture continued, "I had begun to think that Shindou-sensei was good for you but I can see now that I was wrong if i style'mso-bidi-font-style:normal' this /i is the kind of behavior that he has brought out of you."

The class had not believed what they were hearing. Was their principal actually blaming the teacher for the class' actions?

"Yes," Seguchi continued, as if reading their minds, "The blame is Shindou-san's and mine." He started pacing back and forth, gloved hands firmly resting on the back of his hips, "I had thought him capable enough to handle a group of troublemakers such as yourselves, but it appears I have overestimated him. Like all the others, he has failed in teaching you etiquette. Therefore…" he stopped, and a frown four years overdue formed on his smooth face. "I am taking Shindou-san from his current post. Starting tomorrow, he will not be teaching class four any longer."

"That's not fair!" the students shouted almost in unison. They knew that Seguchi had finally found an advantage against them and they knew damn well he was going to use it to its maximum capability. Any punishment the principal saw fit to issue would be irreversible. The students protested vehemently, letting their own sharp tongues lie temporarily dormant as they tried to get a compromise out of the teacher. It was mainly the girls who voiced their opinion, but the guys cared just as much.

Seguchi-san had exploded. Whirling around, he snatched Gregory from Noriko's side and gestured to the ripped shirt and bloodied lip, "After this harassment, do you really think I am willing to do any more favors for your sorry hides? What will this boy's parents say when they see their child? What course of action would his father, the vice president of the whole school district, take when he finds out that Mrs. Onsen's daughter assaulted a boy for something silly as talking to the young girl's teacher?" The weary man threw Gregory an apologetic look then instructed Noriko-san to take him to the nurses' office immediately.

He returned his attention to the rest of the students, "I know of your rebellious streaks, but nothing has ever escalated to a point like this in the past. You've all taken this too far and I'm tired of it! Therefore I will punish you by taking away what you've all come to treasure. And I intend to give Shindou-san what he deserved from the beginning of the school year, a real class with students who are willing to allow him to make mistakes without creating trouble behind him." Seguchi-san frowned at a group of crying girls, "You've all brought this upon yourselves."

The man turned towards the stairs with the finality of his instructions, "At the end of the lunch hour, you will all return to your class and Shindou-san will keep you for the rest of the day." And then he was gone, angry aura still hanging about the air. That had only been half of the punishment, by now he had probably spoken to Shindou-san and outlined that side of the decision. How would they face their teacher now?

In the face of this dire situation, Class Four discarded their motto. All of a sudden, they began blaming whoever they could point their finger to the fastest.

"This is entirely your fault!" the girls started, and an insult was thrown in. The nastiness circulated, everyone venting until everyone had blame laid at their feet and the irrationality of it all finally began to sink in. In the end, sweet little Hanako-chan, stood and loudly said,

"I don't care anymore!" the bickering halted. "E-everyone," she announced, "I don't think we really should fight about this. It…it can be my fault. It's…" her tears welled up as she turned and fled from the comforting hands of her group, "It's all our-- my fault!" she yelled, and disappeared down the stair well and straight into Eiri…

**O-o-o-o-o-o-o-O**

"Good evening class."

Shindou Shuichi came to stand before his students, and it was just like the first time he entered the classroom. The teacher had a look most of the children read with little effort: exhaustion… and disappointment,

Eiri and the others watched as their teacher scanned their faces, watched him stand in front of them occasionally pacing around the room. Shindou-sensei generally fidgeted, always returning to the front of the room then leaning himself on his desk and scanning the class once more. The teacher would sigh anytime a student's stare would falter under his scrutiny. After twenty minutes of this silent treatment, Eiri wondered, what was he looking for?

Even from the very back of the classroom, Eiri could clearly discern how down the teacher was, an expression he had never seen before. He couldn't believe he and his classmates were the ones that caused that expression, that it was he and his class who had caused things to go so wrong.

Finally Shindou-sensei broke the silence by instructing, "Please take out your English essays. I was instructed to collect them, since they are due today." Almost too compliant, the class pulled out their papers, placing them neatly on the top left corner of the desk as always, however, before the said teacher could pick up the papers, one of the students in the front row, interjected,

"Sensei, you're being transferred tomorrow and that's all you've-"

Without warning, Shuichi's soft voice sharpened, interrupting the student warningly, "Ino-kun." The teacher turned away, silently shaking his head and made his way down the rows gathering the papers.

Watching the young man make his way slowly around the room, Eiri couldn't help but feel a little angry with his classmates. He had never really cared about what trouble they got up to before but this was on a whole new level…a whole new personal level.

Papers in hand, Shindou-sensei faced the class, his features serious and his eyes piercing. They did not recognize his expression, this suddenly mature man who stood before them. His voice took on a deeper, more mature tone, "Seguchi Tohma had probably already said this, but your actions were disappointing, if not downright appalling."

No. Principal Seguchi _had_ said this, but not in the way his sensei had. The principal's angry lecture was much more preferable to this new side of their sensei.

"He probably also shouted at all of you, and I believe he had every right to do so. Can one of you," he paused and looked around, "tell me that the students from class 3-5 were lying when they barged in here asking me to stop you from hurting their friend?"

No answer.

"No?" Disappointment again. "Then perhaps anyone would care to enlighten me as to _why_ or _what_ brought upon these violent actions?"

Eiri lowered his gaze. _Don't talk like that sensei… it makes you sound smart and serious, it makes you seem so far away from us that no one can reach you…_

"Then maybe it is true as Noriko had claimed that I had caused this all."

_You can shout at us sensei…_

"Let me make one thing clear."

Eiri heard the sudden strength behind the voice. It was cold and demanding. Their complete heavenly man on edge of his nerves, but voice still ever so soft.

"Although it is true that I am your teacher, that you were all," Eiri winced at the use of past tense, "my first and utmost priority, it did not mean that I belonged solely and only to this particular class. I have other responsibilities, could none of you see that?" Shindou-sensei spread his arms out as if to emphasize his meaning. Disregarding the students' feelings on the matter, he continued, "A student needed help. You wanted me to turn him down? Gregory's teacher has been bedridden because of an illness. If I was not around to help you with your work and you approached another teacher, how would you feel if he or she said 'I can't help you because you are not one of my students?"

More downward glances.

Even Eiri could not bear to watch his sensei this way. He listened to the muted, anguished cries of the girls. Had everyone gone this soft in two month's span of time? Since when did the emotionally hardened class four girls crumble like cookies at a mere sermon? But who was he to talk, being of no exception. Though he did not cry his heart out like the others, he did feel that sensation of loss from the pit of his stomach at the news of losing his new teacher… at the sound of that disappointed voice and the sight of those hurt eyes.

The teacher seemed to understand how his words had affected his class and finally calmed. He sighed, and Eiri, like a few others, sneaked a glance up at the man. In a familiar move, as though eternally breaking out of the mold as a teacher, he gave a small smile.

"Now, now," he said, "I am more than thankful for being well received in this class, and even if you had all gone the wrong way about it, I am still touched that I am the first person to be loved by class four in a long time."

Eiri's heart thumped loudly when his teacher looked at him directly.

"I love you all very much. And it's been my greatest pleasure to be with you all."

Eiri's gaze held on a moment longer to those violet eyes, unblinking as his mind twisted the words to trick him so he would hear, 'I love you. It's been my greatest pleasure to be with you.'

Then the teacher's smile widened, his old self fully back, "It's okay everyone! Let's all just have fun now, okay? I know! Let's play the sound game…."

**O-o-o-o-o-o-o-O**

Ding.

Eiri barely noticed the fine red carpet he walked wearily upon.

Four years ago, when Eiri moved from Osaka to Tokyo, he was entranced by the calm atmosphere of this building. He'd found himself interested by the golden wall, adorned with illusions of white swirling flowers along the line where the wall and the ceiling met. The golden walls were not the only thing he took a liking in. A long, blood-red carpet adorned the landings of each floor making the halls glow, giving a kingly vibe to the student. And when you feel like royalty, all worries just seemed to slip away…

Except for today.

The student entered his apartment in almost a zombie-like state. _What am I going to do with all this?_ He asked himself, recounting the day's catastrophe. Landing ungracefully on his bed, Eiri brought an arm over his eyes…and remembered the incident in the room where his self control had melted completely away at the sight of his child-like teacher sleeping. He stared at his palms with a touch of disbelief, unable to believe he had touched his sensei. He remembered each sensation, how the soft hair had whispered over his hand, the feel of that creamy soft skin…and he had almost, _almost_, kissed the man.

Eiri bit his bottom lip, still daydreaming. He wasn't sure if he was ready for what was he about to tell himself, almost as un-ready as class four was of letting go of Shindou-sensei.

_Could I afford another problem like this? _He asked himself, for as unique as the situation was, this was not the first time Eiri would be experiencing something out of the ordinary in a student/teacher relationship. The memory of a sensei in his past still lingered like a putrid stench in his mind.

Kitazawa sensei.

Usually, by the time Eiri ever got to consider the name, he would have been far gone—immensely depressed at the thought of the man who had betrayed him. But the young student found he was able to consider the memories freely, now of his own free will –something his therapist had never been able to get him to do.

Instead of Kitazawa-sensei, it became Shindou-sensei who mattered.

Eiri could clearly recall the soft breaths he had watched his sensei make, could remember the shadow of eyelashes upon those pale cheeks… the movement of those soft lips, and Eiri was certain they would be even softer to touch, before his sensei uttered his name in that perfect whispered moan.

_Yu-Yuki…_

Realizing the forbidden thoughts in him for his teacher, his morality jolted him up from his bed, and shook the images free of his clutches just as he started to chase after them.

Eiri was wrong about one thing. _Whether he was ready or not, there was no waiting. It wouldn't do his angelic sensei justice to be compared to a dead man._

Eiri turned over and fell on his pillow face first. Clutching the pillow against his head, he tried to stop the oncoming thoughts in his mind, but still it came:

_I like Shindou sensei. A lot._

"Argh!" Eiri yelled in frustration into his pillow. _This is crazy! He's a teacher, you're a student. Eiri, get your head out of the gutter. He'll never want you. You're too young!_

'_He's just four years your senior.'_

The student shook his head. No. He wouldn't think about the age difference for now. That doesn't matter. Right now, all that matters is to be close to the man. But how was he going to do that if Seguchi Tohma kept them apart?

…Ah, Seguchi Tohma…

Annoyed, Eiri stood up and turned off the lights. He sighed heavily as he dumped himself back on the bed. Although the answer was quite clear and easy to reach, actually doing something about the idea would likely prove to be quite a hard task.

Talk to Seguchi.

No, better yet, demand that the principal allow the teacher to stay in room four.

If there was one powerful person Eiri was related to, it would be none other than the principal himself. But how would he mask this one? Dealing with that Principal, with his all-seeing teal eyes, was like dealing with a badger 1. That man would surely recognize something was wrong with Eiri if he just barged in and asked-- No, _told_ the man that he wants the teacher to stay.

_I'll figure this out tomorrow,_ Eiri thought to himself, burying his head in the pillows again. For now, he would enjoy the still fresh memory picture of his sensei, mumbling his name in sleep.

It would be some time before he wondered why exactly it was that the sensei was calling his name in the first place.

**O-o-o-o-o-o-o-O**

Principal Seguchi maintained his warm smile for the young man sitting in front of him.

In the past ten minutes, not a word had been said and no one moved a muscle. The school founder had merely sat and laced his fingers together in a pleased way. He'd been most happy to have summoned this young man. This youth who was a part of both his career and personal life; a student at his school and his wife's brother…

"My, my. This would be the first I have seen you in my office in…four years, is it?" He received a grunt of acknowledgment, and asked, "You don't really know why you're here. Do you Eiri-san?"

On the contrary, Eiri DID know why he was there. In fact, he had driven to school an hour early to see the workaholic man, but as it turned out, something had beaten him to the punch. When he had driven into his parking space, Noriko-san, Seguchi's personal student and slave driver, had caught sight of him and immediately told him to go to 'Seguchi-san's office.'

Since he was already heading there anyway, the student shrugged and walked off.

"Mika's missed you! You should visit some time."

Eiri's frown deepened. He wanted to get down to business. "What do you want?" It was more of a statement rather than a question.

Without missing a beat, Seguchi pulled out a sheet of paper from his drawer. Showing the small print to Eiri, unreadable from distance, he peered down at it and cleared his throat, reading:

"The trouble was brewed by Yuki Eiri."

Eiri waited, still frowning. "And?" he sarcastically prodded.

Seguchi shrugged, "I don't know. You tell me." The older man handed the note over. There was just one sentence on the whole sheet.

"I think," Eiri began, "That whoever wrote this just wasted paper."

Seguchi knew Eiri valued writing and its associated paraphernalia but that wasn't exactly the answer he was looking for.

Eiri sighed, and gave in, "Is this still about yesterday when I walked out of class?" he smirked inwardly at Seguchi's shocked expression, "I walked out of first period. The whole class followed. I guess they're still holding a grudge." He shrugged, "You know the motto and all that already. So why did you need me here?" his heart began pounding joyously at the principal's visible irritation.

"Eiri-san." Tohma said, keeping his voice short of a growl; he pointed at the paper, "This, at three in the morning, was thrown through the window at _my_ house. It scared Mika and she had to be hospitalized for a panic attack. You also know very well that she is pregnant? This is not a laughing matter."

The offending student couldn't keep his excitement down. He'd have to apologize to Mika some day when he lived happily ever after with his sensei…but for now…

"She'll live," was the mean response. After a moment's silence, Eiri watched the man sit himself down on his large and looming leather chair, "You mess with class four they'll mess with you back. They really liked him, and you're taking him away."

Seguchi leaned back in his chair, eyes never leaving the boy's. Eiri knew the man was contemplating what he had just said. But the question was if Seguchi would dig deeper.

"I will not reinstate him," was the sharp reply.

Eiri's excitement vanished, his heart sinking into his shoes.

"So it's true that you did start whole thing yesterday." The man smiled, which Eiri found strangely unnerving. "Because of that, I will not give the class what they want. Goodness, I have a gun crazy American who can handle them…but you… _you_ will get a special punishment." Almost too happily, the man chirped, "Yuki Eiri, report to room 3-7 immediately. Sensei Shindou would be more than happy to have his own personal aide, ne?" He glared expectantly at the boy before him, thinking he had issued the worst punishment possible, under the idea that Eiri hated the Sensei with a passion.

Eiri blinked. He was going to be an aide. A teacher's aide… _Shindou sensei's aide_…

Seguchi smiled at the blank expression, unknowing that Eiri was somewhere between paradise and heaven. "Maybe if I gave you time to be with your 'loved' teacher, maybe you'd love him too, Eiri-san." If the principal had known that the Yuki Eiri he was looking at, calm and emotionless, was actually being given the thing he wanted most in the world, he wouldn't be smiling that smile that said 'Payback.'

Eiri carefully tilted his chin downward, allowing his long bangs to shadow his eyes. He was in such a light mood he decided he'd grace the man with a little kindness,

"Bastard," he mumbled, jerking out of his seat and shuffling out the door, leaving the man with his counterfeit victory.

**O-o-o-o-o-o-o -O**

"Yuki-kun!"

Eiri had hoped he might have a few minutes to watch his sensei before approaching. But it was not to be when the bubble gum haired man raised his head the instant Eiri stepped through the doorway.

"Good morning, sensei." Eiri said softly, walking toward the man as the violet gaze pulled him in. He stopped inches away from the sitting teacher.

"Morning!" was the bubbly reply, "Why are you here so early?"

Eiri took a seat in one of the student desks and shrugged. He wasn't about to tell his sensei he'd been so excited about his 'punishment' that he couldn't help but run up the stairs to this room.

"Seguchi-san told me to come here."

At the sight of the cute pout Shindou-sensei gave at his answer, Eiri felt an unfamiliar fluttering in his stomach. He found it a relief that rather than dwelling on the 'how' or 'why' the student got to be on the position as a teacher's slave, Shuichi smiled ecstatically.

"I have so much work I'm not really in the position to deny help!" the sensei said, standing up to make his way around his desk. He perched himself on the desk of the seat next to Eiri, blushing a little as he stared at the teen. "Actually, I have quite a big favor to ask. Will you hear me out?"

The student's breath hitched as he watched that beautiful blush spread wider across the teacher's face. He didn't trust his voice not to betray him so he nodded instead.

Shuichi leaned forward and almost whispered, "You see, Yuki-kun, I have so many grades to work out. The first quarter is finishing, but I still have mountains of papers that need to be checked! You see, recently, Mr. Furoda and Ms. Ein quit psychology and chemistry in class four—truthfully, your punishment is almost a blessing to me!"

_Mine too sensei,_ the teen thought, then refocusing back to his teacher.

"So do you think it would be alright if I keep you out of your classes for at least three periods until everything is straightened out?" the teacher was so flustered that Eiri almost found it enjoyable. "I promise I'll help you catch up with all your class work after school or before school or whenever you need help!"

The teacher quickly amended his blabbering by slapping his palms together and lowering his head,

"Please?"

If Eiri could laugh, he would've, but instead, he settled with holding back a smile that would just have to wait until he could get out of sight.

He carefully replied, "Sure, sensei." He needed a distraction, needed the conversation to keep going. "So is this your new class?" he looked around the room. The room was nice and clean, had a calming atmosphere ever, but the student was more interested in the man before him than anything else.

"Really?" Asked Shindou-sensei excitedly, "You really will help me Yuki-kun?"

Eiri turned his gaze back on the teacher and nodded. This was the chance of a lifetime, who was he kidding? Three periods with his sensei, then a chance for more time with him after or before school… not to mention Eiri could occasionally feign stupid and call the teacher over to his house…and y'know. He was willing to pull out all the stops and milk this opportunity for all it was worth.

The delight was killing him.

"Ah, excuse me, sensei." Eiri solemnly got up and headed for the door, "I'll be right back!" he called to the bewildered man before flinging the door open and dashing down the hall. His excitement needed to be spent and, God, it couldn't wait!

Still running, energy fueled by the great boon he'd just been granted, he finally let out his smile.

Back in the classroom, Shuichi sat still on the table. Head tilted adorably to one side and brows furrowed, he wondered aloud, "Eh?"

**O-o-o-o-o-o-o -O**

**AN: Hee hee. The last part, I would have to say, is my favorite. I'm hoping for the fourth chapter to be put on paper soon. I hope you will review your thoughts to me. Anything is welcome!!**

1 In the Japanese folktales. Badgers are always mischievous and like to trick people into situations that are not good for them!


	4. Symbolism

**AN: Here's I am again! Me and my chicken presents you chapter four! Please enjoy. Oh and Tsubaki! Thanks for the betaing again!**

**O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O**

Chapter Four: Symbolism

Eiri was love struck.

Well… maybe 'love' struck was a bit too much; he preferred the term 'deeply infatuated'. But he was preoccupied enough, in fact, to be neglecting his duty as a 'player' master. Time that was once used going around and hounding pure, or not so pure, girls, was now only reserved for sitting at a desk at the very back of a room 3-7. Despite the mountain of a paper pile beneath his elbows, he took his sweet time sighing over and over again at how his sensei swayed his hips in that sexy, innocent way. He knew his thoughts were a little silly, especially over a teacher, but the way the man bent over to pick up his dropped pencil made Eiri tingle all over.

Yeah. 'Deeply infatuated.'

"Yuki-kun!" His sensei's voice always heightened its sexiness when it sounded frustrated. "Yuki!!"

At the warning tone in the second call, the student's chin slid off the palm supporting his face. Startled, he straightened immediately and looked at his sensei, ignoring the other students who had their heads turned to look at the commotion.

"Yes sensei?"

Shindou Shuichi, previous teacher of class one huffed, smoke of fake frustration coming out of his nostrils as he pouted again.

"Yuki-kun! You can stare at Miyu-chan all you want later, but I need you to correct these papers!" he pointed to the papers Eiri had been neglecting for the past hour. The student peered down and sighed inwardly. He i style'mso-bidi-font-style:normal' had /i been working on it. Past tense. He had been until his sensei reached for the overhead screen, which was a fingertip out of his reach. In the process of stretching toward it, the teacher's coat he always wore slipped off his shoulder a little and, well… the only thing he'd been able to concentrate on from that moment was the bared patch of skin.

So smooth…

Eiri had only gotten as far as question five of the test papers, when his brain refused to cooperate. His mind had outrageously blown him over and started thinking inappropriate thoughts about his teacher. He was so distracted he couldn't return to the sheet of paper. He stared at his teacher for such a long time until the pink-haired man bent low and whispered to him,

"Oops." Shindou-sensei muttered. "Did I embarrass you Yuki-kun? You don't want Miyu-chan to know that you like her, do you?"

The blonde frowned. Who the hell was Miyu?

Eiri's eyes traveled to the front where, right before the teacher's desk, sat a shy looking girl. Their eyes met and she quickly turned away, in a manner very similar to the way Eiri had acted when his teacher had caught him staring… but she looked a lot more flustered. A few students caught the exchange and snickered, and Eiri blasted them a glare when the teacher walked off to the front of the room.

"Alright, now, that's enough," Shuichi called, gathering the class' attention once again. "It's almost time to go so do any of you have any question about homework?"

At the comment a boy's hand flew up on the air.

"Yes Jiyoji?"

"Sensei, are you going to be our permanent teacher?"

Shuichi sighed, almost looking too sad. It didn't have anything to do with what he had inquired for but…. Wiping off the sad expression, he smiled brightly,

"Yes. I am your fourth period teacher from here on out." Shuichi nodded his head towards the back of the room, directing the student's attention to the gaiijin-looking student from Class Four at the very back. "And that over there is my student aide."

Almost all the girls in the class shrieked. It had been decided a long time ago that Eiri was more on the 'cool and mysterious' side rather than 'scary'. He was, however, intimidating to most.

"Yes." Shuichi responded to the reaction with a smile, raising his eyes to the young boy at the back who was not as busy correcting the papers as he should have been.

Attention was one thing Yuki Eiri hated. As if on cue, the lunch bell rang.

"Alright," Shuichi said, as the students stood for their departing greeting to the teacher. "Kiyotsuke." The student straightened their postures, "Rei." And all the students simultaneously bowed 1, mumbling in unison,

"Sayonara, sensei."

As soon as all the students were out of the room, Shindou sensei stretched himself like a cat, yawned, and then strode over to his remaining companion and aide, Yuki Eiri.

"How you doing?" the older man asked. Peering down on the sudden great pile of paper that Eiri had managed to speedily check. The student didn't answer but continued his 'duty'. He was quite certain would not be able to tear his gaze away from the man, if he looked up. He kept his head down. Once his sensei and he were alone, he knew he couldn't stare freely at the man since the other's hyper energy wasn't occupied with something else…his stares would most definitely be noticed.

Before the student realized it, his said 'punishment' ran towards one of the window panes and opened it as wide as it allowed, letting in the soft breeze. Eiri noted how the gentle wind caressed the man's pink locks and breathed across the smooth skin…

He sighed, wishing it were his hands that would rumple the man's hair, his breath that would skim over that skin…

"Let's take a break Yuki-kun!" the teacher called, leaning his upper body dangerously far out the opening. "Look!" he called to the student, "There's everyone!" and by 'everyone' Eiri knew all too well that he meant class four, where a gun toting bastard was keeping the children hostage.

Seguchi and his strange taste in lackeys…

"Hey guuuuyysss!!!! The childish man yelled openly, alerting the students, three stories below him, of his presence. He waved wildly, but it puzzled the man how none of his former students were waving back, smiling, or anything for the matter. They were, however, staring back at him.

Or staring just over his shoulder, where a set of pale eyes gazed back at the solemn faces below.

**O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O**

Two days ago, Eiri had been given the secondgreatest boon of his life: he and his sensei had worked out a schedule.

As the plan had turned out, the student would need to attend first and second period. Then, for third period Eiri was to go directly up three floors of the main building and work for his teacher. He was to remain there until seventh period and return to his regular class for eighth period.

He would have preferred it if his teacher made him stay for eighth period since it was the teacher's free hour to do as he wished…but the sensei had said it was alright for him to go and said he couldn't take any more of the student's time.

Eiri couldn't press his preference without revealing anything embarrassing.

So that first day, the first period bell rang and the young Yuki-kun entered his homeroom. Sure enough, a reddish blonde man was sitting on their former teacher's desk. He was wearing a white long sleeved shirt with the cuff rolled up to his elbow, black trousers and… a belt gun holster around his waist.

Eiri calmly walked to the back of the room and silently slipped in behind his desk, grunting a little as he propped his chin up on his wrist and turned his gaze out the window. There wasn't anything to stare at in particular, but it was better than meeting any of his traitorous classmates' gazes.

The stares were boring holes into his head.

"Yuki-kun, are you angry?" one of the girls sitting in front of him asked, her back still turned.

The addressed student didn't answer, and he sensed her fearful shiver.

"We're sorry Yuki-kun." She mumbled, fumbling a little, "E-everyone says sorry. We didn't mean to…we…" she paused when the new teacher walked by, then continued when he had passed, "we just wanted sensei back, and we didn't think you'd get in so much trouble."

Eiri kept his carpus tucked beneath his chin, eyes half closed as he stared out at the gray paint of the side buildings. He didn't know what to say. He hadn't planned to say anything actually, but it was because of this class that he got to spend more time with his new obsession and now they thought he was mad. After all, it was well known that Eiri hated being put on task of helping more than anything in the world.

"Forget it." He growled.

"But-"

"Shut up." He said sharply, even though he hadn't meant to. He was irate now at his own ungrateful behavior, but it was not as if he could just tell the class 'Oh thanks for getting me in trouble so that I could spend some time with our sweet, sweet, sensei.' He got to his feet just as the new teacher shouted,

"Hello! My name's K. Nice to meet you." And the last part he showed the class his big black tool to show just how 'nice' he thought it was spending time with them.

He hadn't notice one of the students ditching.

**O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O**

Eiri's cheeks were screaming with pain.

He had only just realized that his pink obsession had suddenly taken the liberty of pinching his 'never before touched' face. The student immediately tumbled over backward in his chair, gasping a dying 'Agghhh.' He glared up at his sensei from the ground, growling fiercely as he clutched his cheek,

"Don't do that!"

Instead of being intimidated, the older man seemed to find it cute. The teacher giggled as he stretched out a hand to help the younger man off ground.

"Yuki-kun is so sensitive. It's your fault because you keep spacing out!" he pouted when the teen grudgingly refused his hand and got up on his own. Before Eiri could add a witty remark, there was a knock on the door.

"Oi! Shu-ichi!" Both men in the room whirled just in time to see the gun toting man from class four walk into the room. "Where's my lunch?" The man growled.

Eiri remembered something about his name being K. Typical Americans with ridiculous one lettered names. Shuichi placed an arm in front of Eiri and slowly began backing themselves away, grinning sheepishly as he said,

"Well…you see. K. I didn't know--"

"SHUICHI!!!" the otherclass door swung open with a loud bang, revealing a very agitated woman with a face distorted with anger.

Welcome to the party Noriko-san.

"You little punk!!!" she pointed at Eiri, "Are you the little shit who stole my lunch?!"

Eiri smirked inwardly as his sensei moved to stand in front of him. The older man was more fearful for him than he was. The student's many encounters with the 'lovely corkscrew haired hall monitor' gave him all the vocabulary necessary to flip her off even more. But his sensei's nearness wasn't something to be taken for granted.

"Move aside! You easily manipulated fool! HE STOLE MY DAMN LUNCH!"

Shuichi waved his hands in front of her in a mad calming action, "Noriko-chan, tha-that was three days ago. Please settle-" but he couldn't finish when Noriko got up on his face,

"DAMN RIGHT THREE DAYS AGO! NOW LET ME AT HIM—"

K joined in, "And that little punk's been skipping my class! Seguchi said no exceptions-and where the hell is MY lunch! YOU PROMISED ME TOO!"

The student behind, almost pressed against the wall wondered how his sensei appeared to know all the craziest damn people in the world.

"Shuichi-kun!!!" Eiri easily looked over the sensei's shoulder and almost thought _he_ was the crazy one.

There in the doorway was an exact replica of his teacher, only instead of baggy green pants that Shuichi wore, he was wearing holey jeans with a ripped up white sleeved shirt and clutching a…a pink bunny?

"Sensei, who the hell are these people?" Eiri asked exasperatedly, watching the blur as the Shuichi-replica pounced on 'his' teacher. They looked so alike, except for the brown hair and the taller, more masculine frame…but who cared about that right now? Eiri was annoyed out of his mind. He had been dreaming of pouncing on his pink haired teacher like that and this 'stranger' had just beaten him to it, as though he had the freedom to do whatever he wanted.

"My lunch damn it!"

"Give me back my student and the lunch you promised me!"

"Shu-kun!"

Shindou-san's face reddened and finally, he yelled at an unexpected volume, "Shut the hell up!" Everyone turned silent, startled by his sudden outburst. He quickly amended, "Please."

Eiri looked at his sensei's beet red face. Strangely, his teacher's angry pants served to amuse him, if not turn him on a little bit.

Okay, a lot.

Without another word, the little teacher, obviously exasperated, moved away from his student and strode over and around his desk. Pulling out his green army bag and wrenching the Velcro apart., he reached in and withdrew a three layered bento box. He ignored Noriko and K's predatory eyes and set the box down, saying, "There. For you two."

Eiri couldn't help but be impressed by his sensei's mature handling of the situation. He watched as Shindou-sensei turned to address the clone,

"Now, Ryuichi-kun. What about you? Did you need anything?"

The man, who Eiri now observed to be a little older than Shindou-sensei, picked up his pink bunny and hugged it tightly against his chest.

"Actually, I came to tell you about…" Ryuichi glanced at Eiri, his behavior making it evident that what was to be said wasn't for the student's ears. Eiri feigned obliviousness, and he stepped forward and whispered into Shindou-sensei's ear which, to Eiri's dismay, made the teacher smile brightly. It looked as if Shindou-sensei had been jolted.

"Okay! I think I'll go right now!" Shindou-sensei started for the door when he seemed to suddenly remember something. "Oh!" he exclaimed, skidding to a halt. He turned around and grinned at Eiri, "Coming?"

"Excuse me?" Eiri asked incredulously. Coming where?

"To lunch silly!" Shuichi chirped, quickly taking Eiri's hand in a tight clutch and pulling him along, "You haven't had lunch yet, so I'll take you out, and none of that cafeteria yucky stuff either. We'll leave campus!" He briskly pulled Eiri along down the empty hallways, "Besides, I couldn't leave you behind with those freaks."

Eiri grinned inside.

Talk about a pot calling the kettle black.

Winding down the stairs and running while dragging the extra weight behind him, Shindou Shuichi finally stopped before the parking lot. It had bothered Eiri as to how the two were going to leave school grounds when the teacher himself didn't drive for 'safety seasons.' Eiri was still a little taken aback by the hand holding and had just come to enjoy it when it was suddenly dropped.

"Oh mannn…" Shindou-sensei groaned, his enthusiasm suddenly wilting. He turned and headed back toward the main building. "Sorry, wait here, I'll get Ryuichi-kun to drive us since he's the one with the car and he-"

Eiri bit his lip. Damn. Figures his sensei would forget something like that…but the student really,_ really_, didn't want this perfect opportunity of being with his teacher all alone off campus to be ruined.

Well there was only one thing to do now.

"I'll drive, sensei." He watched Shuichi turn to him with an inquiring look. Holding out his car keys, he shrugged, "I can drive." And with that, he turned and walked down the parking slots toward his 'baby' who was about to be introduced to his 'obsession'.

**O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O**

The drive was pretty much spent listening to his teacher

Though Eiri wasn't particularly interested, or at least pretended not to be, his secret crush felt the need to enlighten him about everything,

"Ryuichi is my cousin from my father's side. I haven't seen him since I was ten, and we both only started talking to each other about five years back…so I really miss him, but anyway, he left when he was twenty for a singing audition in America, and because of his great singing talent, he was hired immediately and got contracts worth millions! The only problem is, Ryu-kun wants to take over the whole world," Shuichi threw his head back on the headrest and giggled, "He wants to be popular in Japan just as much as in the U.S. and the records company jumped him immediately. So thank goodness for that, he's here and I get to spend time with him occasionally." Shuichi winked at Eiri as if it was a big secret, saying in a hush voice, "Tohma lets him come to school because Tohma and he became best buds way back. In fact, that's how I got to have my job at the academy!"

Eiri nodded, smirking at the comment, "Figures. That would be the only way you can become a teacher at the academy."

"Meanie," the teacher cutely accused. He directed his aide to take a left at the corner and pull up into a parking space in front of an 'O-sushi' shop. Hopping out of the car, the young teacher ushered his student inside, smiling as he shoved a menu in front of the boy's face.

"Pick anything! Anything!" the man practically shouted, ignoring the nervous glances of the other customers. Eiri was all but unaware of his teacher's eyes keeping on him all the time, waiting for his student to ask for anything. Testing the waters to see how devoted the sensei was, the student asked for the one that had the price ridiculously high up on the air.

"Uwah!!!" The teacher exclaimed excitedly at the request, and Eiri thought his teacher sounded very close to saying something like 'You're so mean to pick the most expensive one!' Instead, the teacher grinned at the waitress and exclaimed, "I want one too!!"

Eiri lowered his head. Why was he even trying? What would he have done if the man had gotten angry? Ah but he had known the man wouldn't.

The student enjoyed their lunch very much, maybe even more than the first one.

Eiri couldn't help but notice that, like he found himself doing a lot these days, he'd been smiling warmly inside his cold outward shell. He marveled at his sensei the one interesting person who he'd immediately liked on the first day of school. Now, three months into the school year, the man was treating him to lunch, worrying about him. Shindou-sense was eating at an unusually fast pace, ecstatically telling him, "Take some of mine!" and shoving his food onto the boy's plate in between telling countless jokes.

Eiri rested his chin on his palm, hiding a small involuntary smile behind his fingers.

His sensei had only become more delicious with his childish antics.

**O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O**

"That was good." The younger man mumbled, shifting his car to reverse.

His eyes flew to his sensei's face, and immediately Eiri noticed that the man had some sort of question to ask. Glancing at his car's watch, he saw that they still had ten minutes to go. The school was only a little less than three minutes away with his mad driving skills.

"Did you want to go elsewhere sensei?" the aide asked, giving the man a reassuring look to show that he was listening. Happily the teacher bounced up his seat,

"Yes please!" and before Eiri could ask where, the man instructed, "To Oshimase's store please!"

Eiri blinked. A clothing store? What for?

Shrugging, the young man sped off. He knew where the shop was since Seguchi had dragged him there on more than one occasion to outfit him, but why would his teacher want to go there in the middle of a school day? He was very curious, but Eiri decided to keep quiet when he saw how happy his teacher was.

_Well whatever it is, if it makes him happy…_He thought, already turning down a corner and heading straight into the shopping district. He parked a few feet from Oshimase's. This time, Shindou-sensei was already hurrying into the store before Eiri could even get out. He didn't know where the extra 'zeal' had come from but he didn't want to ask. Not that he needed to.

"She's supposed to be here today after she got back from her trip!"

Eiri's hear lurched. _She?_

"Yeah. My girlfriend."

Eiri hadn't realized that he had asked the question out loud, but his older companion chattered on, throwing a door open that had a 'closed' sign on it.

"Yeah. Another friend of mine introduced us and--"

The blonde student had been too busy with his crumbling heart that he hadn't noticed his sensei had stopped. Glaring at the man, Eiri opened his mouth to speak when his eyes caught sight of two moving figures in the corner of the dark room.

A man, very masculine and almost Eiri's height, had one strong arm wrapped around a slender woman. His other arm was sneaking inside the front of her unzipped pants. Eiri was quick to anger at the sight of them and wanted to yell for their indecency, but was distracted by a small whisper from the man frozen in front of him.

"Mi…Miyari."

A gasp echoed through the room, annoyed at having been interrupted. And the woman, moaning and panting, opened her eyes to shoot a glare at who had interrupted… and gasped again, this time in shock.

It wasn't that Eiri was slow but it had all happened too fast.

The woman pushed at the man who had his hands on her, crying out shrilly,

"Shu-chan!"

Shindou-sensei whirled around, pushing roughly past Eiri and ran out the door. He wouldn't have stood in his sensei's way, of course, but he was frozen. Because what Eiri really wanted to do, with all his might, was snatch the woman's wrist and prevent her from chasing after his teacher. Gritting his teeth he did just that, yanking her roughly away from the doorway through which Shindou-sensei had disappeared. She snarled up at him,

"Let go of me, you shi-"

Eiri had the urged to break every tooth she had, to put his hands upon her throat and constrict the air passage…for hurting his sensei…

But he didn't have time for this. His sensei needed him and he knew that. He settled for scorching her with a contemptuous glance and throwing her back against one of the clothing racks. She stared up at him, startled, and he pinned her with a scornful look. Eyes narrowed, it was clear what he was silently communicating to her.

'Don't ever go near him again.'

And he followed after his sensei.

**O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O**

Eiri glanced over at his sensei, the man's perfect figure splayed out over the front passenger seat.

Eiri slowed the car enough to allow him to turn his head and see how his sensei looked, and it wasn't looking good. For the few minutes that he'd been driving, the once incurably energetic teacher, who could barely hold a muscle still, was now like a statue. Shindou-sensei had his elbows resting on the arm rests, left hand in his lap while the right clutched his left elbow in a tight grip. His pink bangs were sticking to his face from the tears that had poured out only briefly. Eiri had not seen the tears, but could see the traces.

And that was it.

His sensei didn't wail, didn't cry any more tears, but just sat in silence, only sighing every now and then. When he sighed, his eyes would glaze over as he stared unseeingly out at everything whizzing by.

Eiri carefully followed the teacher in his zombie-like state, and thanked the gods he had when the man stopped on the stairs, sighed and leaned too far back. The student had been obliged to catch him, and before Eiri could ask how he was, the teacher would act as if nothing had happened and continue on his way.

Safely in the room, the student closed the door behind him and turned to see the young school teacher opening his planning book.

"You're teaching?" Eiri asked incredulously. As if he was just noticing the student, the pink haired teacher looked up at him and smiled softly,

"Oh, Eiri-kun… I'm sorry. Of course I'm teaching! I only have one more period to go--"

The student angrily stomped his way towards his teacher, slamming a palm over the planner.

"Sensei, you shouldn't teach today," he advised, knowing it would be a wise decision on the teacher's part.

Realizing that his student had seen it all, Shuichi quickly lowered his head, "I'm very sorry Yuki-kun! I didn't want you to see any of that. I'm really sorry! But you don't have to worry about me!"

"That's enough!" Eiri said, his voice rising. He paused, waited for his temper to calm down then, pinching the bridge of his nose, he continued softly,

"Sensei, I don't mind what I saw. I don't." But then his words caught in his throat when he made the mistake of looking down into the teacher's wide violet eyes. They were a darker shade now, but a hundred times more… erotic… than ever. The way those lashes swept innocently over his cheeks as Shindou-sensei blinked slowly up at the lecturing student…took his breath away. Unable to resist,Eiri brought up a hand and gently pushed a few stray strands of the man's hair away from his eyes,

"What subject are you teaching next?" he asked quietly. Eiri was so close to his sensei. He could barely breathe as he watched those lips part to reply to his quiet question.

"Eng…English." Eiri let out the breath he had been holding when his teacher allowed him to continue petting the man's head. He watched the teacher close those beautiful eyes as he finished answering the question. "Two doors down, in room 3-5."

"Good boy," Eiri whispered, and draped Shuichi's coat over the man's small figure. "I'll go and tell them you won't be in. We'll call a substitute." and with that, the student pulled his hand away from his treasure.

With a soft sigh, he watched the Shindou-sensei slowly smile, eyes drifting shut as he did.

**O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O**

Now, the teacher had a very strict contract with the Principal Seguchi.

It was not until he was drifting off into sleep that he remembered how there were no such things as 'substitutes' since all the teachers were being paid well high enough to _not_ get sick. He groaned, opened his eyes, and quickly prepared to get to class. He recalled how Seguchi Tohma had no beliefs whatsoever with 'personal life affecting profession'.

Still feeling a little heavy from the earlier incident, the teacher wobbled his way out of his classroom. He would have to feign lateness. Thirty minutes late, yes, but not absent. They were already short of teachers as it was since they'd been driven out by the students of room number four. If Seguchi had assigned a substitute, the pay would be docked from Shuichi's wages. It would have all been well and all, but his rent were due that very week!

Shuichi hurried over to class 3-5, and just as he clutched the door handle, he heard,

"Who can tell me what Symbolism is?"

That voice…strangely familiar.

"No one?"

And that attitude…

The curious teacher slid the door open a crack and what he saw caused his breath to snag, his eyes widening…

There, standing in front of the room, chalk in hand and back turned to the class, was his very own student, standing with more authority than Shuichi knew he himself could ever exude.

"Symbolism," he heard his student say, "is an object that stands for itself, but also represents something larger and usually more abstract." The student finished writing the note, his voice having the tone of finality as he produced an example from his deep within him.

"Like love".

Shuichi didn't move.

He wouldn't move, didn't want to. At least, not until his student turned around, and not until he was sure that the golden penetrating gaze caught him looking.

_Admiring._

And it froze on the sensei's face when his student, still holding his gaze, repeated,

"Like love."

The teacher leaned against the door way and gave him an approving smile.

**O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O**

**AN: Thanks for reading this far This was a little longer than the last one, and the next chapter looks like it's going to be longer than this one ha-ha. I hope everyone is in for the ride! All in? Please review!**

**Soo…one more question: Who wants Eiri to take it up one more notch with his sensei? XD**

**1 At the beginning of class, the students stand, straighten their postures and bows either to say 'Good Morning' 'Good Afternoon' of if leaving class, 'Sayonara.'**


	5. Seal the Deal

**AN: Much love to you Tsubaki! Thanks for super, ubber, cool beta job! Enjoy everyone!**

**Chapter Five: Seal the Deal**

It had been three days.

That made a total of seventy-two hours since he had last seen his sensei. Eiri looked at his reflection, his eyes piercing through the mirror fog from his hot shower. The student's face looked relaxed and emotionless to the naked eye…oh but the turmoil inside. He hadn't been to school since the day he had subbed for his sensei. And part of the reason was the man himself! Eiri couldn't face the teacher after he'd uttered those terrible words.

If Eiri hated anything, it was that four letter word: L-O-V-E.

But it felt so right when he had repeated it while looking into his sensei's eyes. What Eiri couldn't understand was the way he had _loved_ it even more when the man leaned back on the frame of the door and smiled at him in that lazy, erotic way. He had felt then he could repeat those words over and over again to the man.

After a few more minutes of silent turmoil over his sensei, the young man finally exited the bathroom and retreated into his study where there, perching on top of his desk, was a small, navy blue laptop. Yuki Eiri was a writer and if there was anything he'd been neglecting, it was his writing.

That also frustrated him.

He'd had so much inspiration before the 'declaration of love' incident, his muse inspired by a certain pink haired teacher. That goofy grin and bright eyed smile really only seemed to brighten for him, a student, and he had enjoyed the feelings that expression inspired… the thought of how that look was reserved only for him.

Eiri sighed, leaning back in his leather chair as he contemplated his feelings. He couldn't help but feel guilty for leaving his sensei to deal with the heartache of betrayal alone. He hoped that the woman's cheating would spell the end of her relationship with his teacher, but it angered him to know she had hurt the man. Although, he supposed he should be thankful… after all, her treachery had suddenly made his dream almost attainable.

_The dream that someday, somehow, his sensei would finally truly belong to him…_

Yuki Eiri was never one to wait before taking action and it bothered the shit out of him. He was the kind of person who preferred to be in control, and that was precisely what he should be doing. He should be out at school marking his territory and making it clear that the man was his, especially now that Shindou-sensei was 'up for grabs'. He was getting quite frustrated with the entire matter.How could his sensei be the root of all his recent inspirations but also be the distraction, all at one time?

Eiri glanced mischievously at his hand absently drawing circles upon his stomach, as another thought occurred to him. One more thing that disabled his writing was that his body had not been given proper satisfaction as of late, and since the only way he could satisfy himself was with his sensei…

There had been sleepless nights spent tangled in layers of bed sheets, writhing in sweet agony as he pictured his sensei playing with him. Those soft hands enveloping him with tight heat, the softness of Shindou-sensei's—Shuichi's delectable body… Lately, his own body had been so needy of attention that, one night, he had done the unthinkable and pictured his sensei fucking him raw and rough. What he felt most embarrassed about the memory was that as he fantasized, he had allowed himself to be as loud as he pleased, moaning into the sheets while he humped his bed and fisted a hand into his pillow.

It was an unusual fantasy: him, Yuki Eiri, as the uke.

When Eiri had finally gotten a long, hard, release, he swore that as soon as his sensei let him, he would make the _real thing_ pay for making him wait for so long. There was no way in hell that childish man would be the seme in their future relationship. That's right, _future_relationship. There was no two ways about it now. There would be a relationship in the near future and he would be damned if it didn't happen.

Despite his conviction at this new course of action, he decided not to attend Shuichi's class the next day to try and rein in his raging hormones. At that point, the probability of his jumping the man's bones in his current state was very high. Already, the thought of those familiar sweet smiles and casually innocent touches was driving him mad. The next two days after that morning were the same and it would seem today, the fourth day of his absence, would also be spent inside his large apartment. He was simply not anywhere closer to regaining his control as he was four days ago.

Before Eiri could picture another hot sex scenario of him and his pink haired dream boy, the phone shattered the silence, halting further right hand activities. Internally cursing, the student picked up his phone and answered in an un-welcoming manner,

"What?"

"Eiri-kun!"

At the sound of that voice, the student had never been better inspired to bang his head on the desk. Of all the people to call him of the six billion population of the world, it had to be his brother in law Seguchi Tohma.

"Stop calling me that, damn it."

The cheerful principal seemed to be in haste, "Okay then, Eiri-san, I've a question."

"What?"

"Are you entering the CLA? You have a little less than one week to submit a newly written piece."

The student mentally groaned. _This _was certainly yet another dilemma. _How the hell was he supposed to write when he was busy tending to other and more important things in hand?_ For example there was his sensei who he really, really, needed to make his…

"Eiri-san. Are you listening?"

_No._ "Yes."

"Alright then. At this rate you have only one week to raise your grades and turn in an essay. Otherwise, I'd have to cancel your paper of submission. You do know you're failing almost _all_ your subjects?"

Eiri didn't budge. He was only the slightest bit surprise by the revelation of his failure in sight. What could he expect when he was off chasing after his man? But then again, Eiri couldn't afford _not_ to be in the competition when the prize provided to the winner could be anything from scholarships to a writing contract with a company!

"Yeah, yeah," Eiri grumbled, "I'll be absent a lot to get things done though."

"Of course. As long as you already know what the materials in your homework are all about. Should I get you a tutor?" the principal teased.

"I don't need a fucking tutor, you ass." The student replied, and hung up.

Grudgingly, Eiri decided to work on his homework first. Pulling his bag into the study room, he took out his textbooks and set it all on the low table then, sitting himself cross legged on the ground, he hunched over and began working. As it would turn out, Eiri had been missing a whole lot more than he had anticipated.

_What the hell were proofs again?_ _An egg lab? Twenty miles of running and a report of a sport? _

_Who the hell cares?!_

Before long, the morning was gone, and not a single bit of work had been done. In truth, Eiri already knew all the things that needed to be done but it was just that he wasn't willing to do any of them, not even write his winning paper for the writing competition.

_Maybe I really do need a tutor, _the young teen thought.

But knowing Tohma like he did, he knew the man would take the liberty of taking up the task himself. That was the last thing Eiri needed, a fucking brother in law who was more worried about him than of his own damn, pregnant wife. Although the incessant calls had recently dissipated…so that annoying man might finally be getting the hint. He was getting a headache now, damn the man.

Eiri closed his eyes and decided a nap would be good for him. Fuck the writing competition.

And fuck work.

He was off to la-la land where his naked sensei, in full Technicolor, was waiting for him with open arms on a satin-sheet bed.

**O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O**

Shindou Shuichi was a carefree man.

So if there was something he made sure to _not_ do often, it was to worry. Worrying about small things, worrying about his students, and, hell, even worrying about his ex girlfriend who'd cheated on him, were all just things he didn't do. But what the teacher could worry about, and didn't bother trying to hide, was worrying about his aide: Yuki Eiri.

The sensei frowned worriedly in the silent room, ignored his students' curious glances, and let out a heavy breath.

His aide had been missing for four days now and the worst part of it was that he had no idea what was wrong. Was it he who had caused his student to run away, or had something terrible happened, something that might have transpired within Eiri's family that needed the student's instant attention? He was puzzled and confused, and worried.

Before he had come in to teach period three, K had informed him that the gaiijin student had come in to first period, stayed second period and then left at the third hour. But Shuichi hadn't caught sight of him. It wasn't because he wanted his aide to finish correcting the mountain of papers, either. Far from it actually, because what the Sensei wanted was to help his aide. He wanted to give something back, reverse the tables, since the last deed the student had done in school was to sub for him when he had badly needed a break. Shuichi glanced at the clock which read that there was an hour left of third period.

"Class," the Sensei called, standing up from his desk and heading to the door, "When you are finished with your test, I trust that you will all behave. Do as you please, but you must remain quiet." And with that, he walked out the door.

**O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O**

"Seguchi-san?" Shuichi whispered. He didn't want to impose on the man, but his question couldn't wait. He peered through the doorway and his eyes almost watered when he saw how relaxed the man looked, feeling guilty that he would be interrupting the man's moment of serenity. The Principal's breath was steady and relaxed, form still as he reclined in the office chair reading a book. His skin, pale from lack of sunlight, glowed in the light, and he had such a peaceful air about him. But then those teal eyes rose to meet Shuichi's, and the principal smiled at him with welcome.

"Ah, Shindou-san," he greeted, "Please come in and sit." As soon as the teacher did, the principal twined his fingers together resting his elbows atop the table, and propped his chin up on the back of his hands. "Are you faring well with your new class, Shuichi?" he asked, dropping the formalities, though both were more than once familiar with Ryuichi's scolding about that habit.

Shuichi bit his lower lip, "Anoo…Tohma…I'm a bit worried," he finally let out.

Tohma's smile remained intact as he happily said, "Don't worry about Class Four, Shuichi, K has it all under control. They're actually doing almost as well in their school work with K as their teacher. But the old times when you were their Sensei proved to have been more useful of course--"

"No!" Shuichi quickly interrupted, though his voice was still as humble as ever towards his employer, "Actually…I'm just worried about a particular student…and I thought you might know what would be wrong."

The smile gone now, replaced momentarily by an expression of confusion, the Principal looked at Shuichi questioningly. Politely, he inquired, "Which particular student are we worrying about, Shuichi?"

The teacher squirmed uncomfortably under the man's gaze.

"Yu…Yu-Yuki Eiri," he whispered, rapidly adding, "I know it's not my place, but he's been missing for four days, making it five for today, and I thought…you might know…since you're related to him." He glanced up at the man with a desperate look, one which the principal failed to understand.

"Ah, your aide, yes?" Tohma's eyes closed and crinkled pleasantly as he smiled, "Don't worry about him, Shuichi. Eiri is doing some catching up with his school work."

Shuichi blinked. Catching up with…school work?

As if reading his mind, Tohma nodded, "Yes. He does this all the time, coming close to failing all of his classes and waiting until the last minute to bring them up again." Tohma turned his back from the teacher, stood and opened the window blinds, allowing a little light to filter through, "There is a Cambridge Literature Acquisition that happens once in a decade in this school. It's the best that this school has to offer, supported by five other major schools in the world."

"That's amazing!" The teacher exclaimed, nearly hopping out of his seat, "Yuki-kun will win right?"

Tohma smiled affectionately. One of the reasons the Principal had hired the man was because he knew Shuichi had a Ryuichi-like attitude. He had been right in his assumption that the school needed a much energy like so.

"I'm afraid not." Tohma responded solemnly, cutting the teacher's celebration short. When Shuichi tensed and scowled, he offered an explanation, "A student must have grades no lower than a 4.0 point average to enter the competition. Eiri-san will never make it on time when he has two weeks to get all his homework finished, checked, and graded. There's also the matter of his other subjects. Simply put, he can't make it…though I really want to say it could be contrary to my belief." Tohma returned to his seat and smiled at the seething teacher, "Don't worry. Another opportunity will arrive for Eiri-san sometime this year."

The principal couldn't help but wonder why the teacher had developed a sudden interest in his brother in law. The news that Eiri may not be able to enter the competition due to his grades really seemed to down the man's happy meter. The principal shook his head and berated himself silently. He had just realized he had blabbed to his best friend's cousin about his worries for his brother in law.

"Shindou-san, don't worry. Eiri is working hard."

Not wanting to overstay his welcome, the small teacher stood, bowed humbly to his boss, and mumbled a soft "Thank you," before exiting the office.

Before Tohma returned to his book, the principal couldn't help but feel that had been something odd about the conversation that had just transpired. Unable to pin point it, the Principal returned to 'Gone with the Wind'.

**O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O**

The visit which was supposed to alleviate his concerns had backfired.

Now, not only did he know that his aide was failing, but Tohma had also made him aware that Eiri _could_ have been winning some sort of Cam Bridgette…Literate-whatever. Well, Eiri would have if only he hadn't taken the boy's time to try and check his papers that he himself had been procrastinating on working. The young sensei blamed himself upon his aide's downfall.

"Oi! Shu-i-chi!"

The pink haired man looked up to see his thirty year old cousin running to him, invigorated with zeal he _wished_ he had.

"Why are you sad, na no da?" the man asked through his pink bunny, the plush toy was the very color of his young cousin's hair. "Where's your boyfriend?"

Shuichi blinked, "Boy…friend?" he frowned, "Ryuichi, what are you talking about? I just got over my last relationship. I don't need another one right--"

"KUMAGAROU BEEEAAMM!"

Shuichi dodged the beam, turned and walked away in a huff. He wasn't up for any play right now, not when he had a student to worry about.

"I mean the student!" Ryuichi called, picking up his bunny and running after the man, "Tohma's tiny cousin, but actually bigger than him!"

"You mean Yuki?" Shuichi asked.

Ryu nodded, "Yeah. Your boyfriend."

"Oh, Ryuichi, stop that," the younger man scolded, without breaking stride, "He's not my boyfriend. He is my _student._"

"Okaay!" the other one shouted, "But just so you know, that grouchy boy of yours is mean!"

Shuichi stopped in his tracks, turned around to face his chibi elder cousin, and stared.

"He ignored me and Kuma's new dance because he said he had to do 'school work."

The younger teacher strode over his relative, excitedly grasping the man's shoulders, "Where is he Ryu?"

Ryuichi gave a blank stare before reaching to perch his bunny on Shuichi's shoulder, then said, "Kuma says he's in the room with lots of computers!!"

And that was all that needed to be said. Shindou Shuichi, whose energy was suddenly inexhaustible, put on his Pegasus shoes and ran off, not even bothering to stop when Ryuichi called for his bunny.

"Ay yi yi!" Ryuichi scolded, running after his small cousin. And he had planned to play with Tohma first…

"The computer room!" Shuichi exclaimed eagerly, breathlessly, as he ran. In a little less than thirty seconds, he found himself dashing down the hall of the second floor to room 2-1. So it wasn't a rumor! His student really was in the building, never mind the fact that he hadn't seen the boy all day.

The first thing he would do was cheer his student on. That's what Yuki Eiri needed, right?

Arriving at the door, Shuichi clutched the handle and was ready to burst in to shout a loud 'Yuki!' when, through the door window; he caught sight of the lone figure illuminated by one of the unit screens. He was stopped short by the source of joy himself, that pale figure in the darkness, glowing face staring intently at the computer screen, one hand clacking away at the keyboard while the other scribbled notes in a notebook.

He stopped. The last thing Shuichi wanted to do in the spur of the moment was to break the flow of the boy's concentration. Watching the student in the computer lab, Shuichi suddenly understood clearly what the student needed most. It was so clear that he had to smile softly to himself as he backed away from the door and headed up to his classroom, all the while ignoring his cousin's own intent stare upon his back.

**O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O**

Tock' tock' tocktocktock.

Yuki opened his eyes.

He had just gotten home from school thirty minutes ago, and after researching and writing a ten page report on 'football' the student was more than willing to fall unconscious. That was until the continuous knocking brought him out of his dreamless sleep, a slumber which for once had been spared of naked images of his teacher.

With a growl, Eiri stood, prepared to kill whoever it was who had interrupted his rest.

"What the hell do you want?!" Eiri yelled, throwing the door open. Which he immediately regretted. He had expected his brother in law, but there was no blonde hair at the other side of the door. Caught completely off guard, the young man choked back a moan at the delicious sight of his sensei, whose tank top strap had slipped off one shoulder where he clutched a bag over his back.

"Sh-Shindou-sensei?" Eiri inquired, wondering, since when did his teacher know where he lived? The former teacher of Class Four smiled sheepishly. Anyone could tell he was more than a little scared of the student.

"Uhm…ehh…is this a bad t-time?" he stuttered nervously, looking up at the tall and handsome student. Eiri bit back another moan. He was guilty for dreaming, on more than one occasion, about fucking this man before him, but he sure as hell didn't regret it. He didn't regret anything where Shuichi was concerned.

"No," he mumbled, "Sorry about that. I thought you were someone else." Eiri heard the Sensei's sigh of relief and was puzzled. Did he really think Eiri would shout at him like that? The younger man continued with a question, "Why are you here, Sensei?"

The violet eyes widened in excitement as he replied enthusiastically, "I'm here to keep a promise!" he moved forward, closer to his student and stood on his toes, reaching up to tap the young man's forehead, "Remember when you became my aide? I told you I'd help you with school work, didn't I?"

Eiri blinked. Then slowly he realized what his sensei was saying. Tutor. Shuichi, _his_ man.

Alone.

Thank you, Gods…

"Uh…yeah," the student replied, stepping aside to silently invite his sensei into his home. "How did you know…to help…?" he asked, watching as the teacher hauled in a large green carry-on bag. The happy-go-lucky teacher set his things down and grinned up at the interrogator,

"I've been checking Class Four's papers since someone," he punctuated it with a stress on the words, "left me for three days. And then I realized that I hadn't seen any of your papers so I figured that it was my fault since I'd been keeping you from all of your classes." The teacher took off his shoes, continuing on, "Then Seguchi-san contacted me and told me to check on you for him since K couldn't do it, he was too busy with the other kids, and he asked me to tutor you." Shuichi bent the truth a little. He had actually gotten Ryuichi to get Tohma to worry over his younger brother in law.

Eiri smirked behind his teacher's back at the thought of Tohma's miserable and failedploys at annoying him.

"See! There you go again- spacing out on me! Do I really talk that much?" Yuki glanced at the pouting Shuichi and didn't reply. He was too busy thinking of how cute that lithe body looked, watching his Sensei turn to wander aimlessly down the hall. "Okay! So I'm ready to teach you. Where is your study room?"

Maybe school work was another form of blessing…

**O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O**

"Do you understand that now Yuki-kun?" Shuichi asked softly, looking hopeful and pointing to the current work with the tip of his pencil.

Eiri, on the other hand however, had made no such progress. Allhe'd done while the teacher explained the work was stare at the Sensei's face, relishing the close proximity of their bodies. He had stared at the paper after his sensei finished showing him how to solve the problem, but he just shook his head, an indication that he still didn't understand. Shuichi just patiently smiled and copied down another problem.

"Yuki-kun, it's really easy. You just create two columns on your paper. Label the one to the left 'Statements', and the one at the right 'Proofs On the Statements' then you copy the facts given to you, and on the proofs' side you tell them that it was given. Now what you have to do is prove why line m is parallel to line k through the postulates and theorems you know about transversal angles. For example, on this one, we know that angle 1 and 8 are congruent…."

Eiri sighed, deciding he had better act like he was paying attention this time, tore his eyes from Shuichi's face and looked down at the paper. This was perhaps the fifth time it was being explained to him this evening. B while the teen had grasped the concept of Statements and Proofs by the second explanation, he had simply loved the way his sensei tapped the pencil to a certain, unfamiliar beat, explaining patiently with that melodious voice over, and over, and over again…

"So what do you think the theorem is?" Shuichi asked.

"Alternate, exterior…" the teen withheld another sigh, "angles…converse." Eiri's eyes widened slightly. Damn, he hadn't meant to say anything. Although, watching the pink haired freak jump excitedly up and down, alternating from left foot to right, was just as rewarding and amusing as the quiet patience.

"That's amazing!!" Shuichi exclaimed. He handed his pencil and paper to Eiri, saying excitedly, "Can you do one now without my help Yuki-kun?"

Eiri finished the problem in ten seconds flat…which earned him another sight of the ecstatic 'Happy Dance'.

**O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O**

After a few more problems done, the teacher was finally satisfied and decided that the young man had the concept down. Shuichi slumped against the wall and glanced at his hardworking student, now left to work by himself. He liked to watch the boy sitting next to him, his back straight and hands furiously flying across the paper with pen in hand. Was this how all writers looked like?

"Take a break with me, Yuki-kun." The teacher pouted, feeling it was unfair that his student hadn't even paused to criticize his laziness.

The student shrugged him off, "You're not the one trying to catch up to a deadline, Sensei. Take your break alone." It was meant to be a form of 'no thank you' but somehow, to Eiri's own ears, it ended up sounding like 'shut the fuck up'.

"Tohma told me." Shuichi said softly, yawning as he glanced at the clock, which read seven thirty. "He said you've been gone because you're trying to pull up your grades to enter the Cam-- CLA."

Eiri continued solving his geometry problems, though his pace had considerably slowed as his nerves strained to divide his attention. Two-thirds to his sensei and the rest to work.

"It's amazing," Shuichi continued, tilting his head back to stare up at the yellow ceiling, "he said you were a great writer and that you would win no problem…all you needed to do was raise all your grades to an A average." Eiri caught the quiet sigh that escaped his teacher's lips, "I felt so guilty to hear that, because I'd been driving you to do work for me longer than necessary, and I'd kept you longer than I was supposed to…not to mention you subbed for me last Monday." By the time the confession of guilt sank in, Eiri's golden eyes had moved away from his school work and to the man who was, of course, oblivious to his gaze, looking up at the ceiling.

"I owe you a lot for helping me. That's why I want to help you now." Shuichi pushed himself up against the wall and smiled at his student, finally noticing the pair of eyes on him. He went on, wanting to calm the student's intense glare into a softer expression, blushing more than a little, "I'm serious! If you want to, we could plan for a reward for you when you get your work done!"

Eiri turned away, back to working on the paper as he pointed out, more harshly than he intended, "If you're helping me out of pity, I don't want it. I'm not a grade-schooler." The student knew he might be reading his sensei's message the wrong way, but whatever the teacher was trying to convey to him, the student felt more than depreciated. It was bad enough that the older man didn't seem to be interested in him, but to be pitied as well…

"No!" Shuichi cried, but when Eiri seemed to be less than disinterested, he snatched the pencil out of Eiri's hand and flung it across the room. When he had the young man's attention, he tried to plead his case, "That's not what I meant Yuki-kun! What I was saying was that it'd be good if you had something to look forward to just to push you along the way!"

The pink haired teacher saw it fairly clearly that the student wasn't convinced. _That _had been the last thing he wanted his student to think, when all of this was _not _pity.

"I mean it!" Shuichi implored, holding his student's gaze, then blurted, "Like if you asked me to go with you on a date, I would go with you not because you finished your schoolwork but because I want to!" He gasped and covered his mouth

"Well I'd ask if I could, you baka!" Eiri shouted back in irritation.

_Too late._

All that had been said was said and done, and a strange silence settled after the outbursts.

No matter how both men replayed what was said, they couldn't cover up and hide the meaning behind their words well enough. There had been no loopholes or allowances to get them out of the trouble they'd gotten themselves into now. Eiri looked down at his sensei, and Shuichi met the teen's eyes lingeringly before dropping his eyes away in defeat and nervousness.

Eiri's heart soared. Did he really hear right? Did his sensei really want to go out with him? And did he really say what he'd been dying to say to his object of desire?

"Did you… mean it?" Eiri whispered, dropping all his work behind. He turned away from his desk to drown in those violet eyes that met his gaze briefly before glancing away, "Because…if you did, then…" Eiri bit his lips, _here goes_, "then I really _will_ ask. And the date will be…my goal and I'll know that it's not pity."

_God he sounded like a lovesick housewife._

When there was silence, the teen sighed softly. He knew it had been too good to hope for. He and his Sensei had spent a lot of time with each other recently, and he was fairly certain there hadn't been any signs from his sensei liking him the way he did the Sensei. There had been no sign of physical attraction from the man, though they'd held hands a few times…and--

"Of course I meant it."

Eiri's eyes quickly snapped back to his Sensei, whose focus remained on him with that wide and sweet smile. The teacher looked adorably cute, kneeling before Eiri, so small that he needed to raise himself off his heels just to be eye to eye level with the teenager. Eiri looked into his teacher's eyes, sparkling brightly a sky blue hue.

The teen laughed at himself. Gods, he must have made a pitiful sight to the man, a teen with a big fat crush…but who cared? Eiri could see his reflection clearly in his teacher's eyes; he saw his desire…and didn't hesitate. Pinning Shuichi with an intense stare, he reached over and pulled the man into his arms, down towards him. With Shuichi finally seated in his lap as he had dreamed of for so long, his gaze focused on those soft lips which had haunted his dreams, and chased his mind unceasingly in his wake,

"Deal?" Eiri asked. As he leaned in to close the distance between them, he felt his one sensei's arm wrap around his neck, and in the moment before he captured those lips with his own, a subtle whisper followed, confirming,

"Deal."

**O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O**

** Hehehe. So? How was it? Was it alright? looks around nervously I really hope it was. Let's see, I guess I should say Gurabiteshiyon . net is a little inactive in reviewing…I hope everyone comes back, though I'm sure I'm driving you all nuts Hahaha. **

**Fanfiction . net keeps growing, and I love you all so much for the wonderful reviews. They've all either helped me better on my writing, or pushed me along the way to finish the chapters.**

**Thanks everyone, all I've to say is I'm trying hard to keep this going. But I still have homework so I won't be posting in a little bit…lol. Not until I finish my homework. sigh**

**cracks up Everyone…please review! And have a nice day!**


	6. The Student and His Sensei

Chapter Five: The Student and His Sensei

The purring of the car engine descended into silence at the turn of Eiri's key.

Silently, he turned to look out through his tinted window at the dark skies before reclining the leather backrest. He settled into the lower angle, closed his eyes and concentrated on relaxing his stressed senses.

It had been a hectic week; Eiri had been coming to school earlier than he was used to, taking extra classes from K, taking tests he had missed, and re-taking the ones he had taken without proper care. Of course, there was still the monstrous list of unfinished assignments not to be forgotten on top of all that. There had been a point he'd gotten so tired of K's lectures that he had threatened to give up. But a glimpse of his sensei walking down the halls or catching a few notes of his distinctive humming of unfamiliar tunes and Eiri would find himself calm and ready to continue.

The teen brought up a hand up to touch softly to his lips. It was a cheap imitation of the way his sensei had shyly succumbed to his kisses but it was enough to remind him of the short lived joy. Enough that, despite the rotten weather and all the work he still needed to get done, a small smile crept across his face.

He thought back to what had happened, his mind filling with the emotions and sensations of the week before…

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Shuichi's mouth had been just like how he had imagined them to be. Yielding velvety lips… soft as rose petals, he'd decided. The tang of the kiss had initially reminded him of fresh watermelons, the lingering essence later melting into a tart yet sweet strawberry taste. Perfect, just as Eiri had envisioned. And all imagining and fantasies had faded in the face of that scorching kiss.

There had been absolutely no comparison.

Eiri's heart had pulsed violently in his chest and his head spun, only to regain focus on the new crash of sensations. Body reacting, taking control, he slid his tongue out to Shuichi's lips to caress the softness and ask for passage into the cavern beyond. He stroked gently, insistently, until with a moan the older man opened for him. Lips tingling, he sought the wet warmth beyond and felt the fires of his desire stoke into an incarnate and powerful lust.

Pulling Shuichi's body against himself, Eiri pressed their heated flesh together and felt his skin hum at the contact. He forced himself to rein in his control and tried not to force himself further on the man. He pulled back briefly and loosened his hold, allowing a few moments to pass before plundering the uncharted area again. When he had memorized every detail of Shuichi's mouth, he retreated to bite playfully at the older man's lips, eliciting another passionate moan. Oh, but the student didn't stop there. His tongue kept quite busy with one job and his hands did another. Eiri wasn't even really aware of what his fingers were doing, but the small figure in his arms certainly was!

Shuichi was more than aware of those hands running up and down his sides, they felt warm, comforting, and heightened his senses to a point where he thought he would go crazy! The student's insistent hands smoothed possessively over his body and when they gripped his hips, a great wash of pleasure overcame him. The pressure was so fierce it almost hurt, but the pleasure was so good the pain hardly mattered. Shuichi was sure he'd never felt like this before!

"Yuki…"

Eiri heard but didn't let him finish, attacking his mouth with greater effort.

"Yukiiii…" Shuichi whispered again. This time the man pushed at his student lightly, slipping the fingers of his right hand over his student's lips and gently pushing the teen's yearning mouth from his. "Yuki-kun," he mumbled again, his voice laced with tension. He met Eiri's golden gaze but couldn't seem to bring himself to hold it, and looked away.

All of a sudden, Eiri was very much aware of their position. He didn't remember how, but he had somehow pushed his Sensei to the floor under him. Shuichi's small coat was splayed beneath them and his clothes were pulled messily about his body. Shuichi looked very thoroughly kissed, with his hair mussed, lips swollen and looking a little dazed. And Eiri? He was settled between his sensei's legs with his elbows supporting his upper body, his lower half intimately pressed to his Sensei. He was powerfully aroused, just as he could feel his teacher was.

But he had a problem.

Because though he had tried not to, Eiri had somehow brought things to their limit, and he knew that their play came to stop here. Breaking their delicious contact, the student pulled himself up and off the teacher who wriggled away and sat up on his knees. The student followed suit and sat up, hesitantly allowing a few feet of space between them. The writer stared at Shuichi's flushed face and remained silent, uncertain as to what would happen next now that the spell was broken.

Shuichi fidgeted nervously, avoiding Eiri's eyes. But the pressure of the silence became too much for the small man to bear, so he turned and began to gather his referral documents and text books. His movements were shakily hasty as he shoved the items messily into his bag.

"Ano…" he said, fumbling with his belongings, "Um…Yuki…kun. I-- I should be going."

Eiri nodded. He could understand why the man seemed anxious; he'd just been kissed by his own student for goodness' sake!

"I'll walk you out… Sensei," Eiri said, rising after his object of desire, resisting the urge to call the man by name as he originally wanted. The teacher jerkily pulled his clothes back into place and adjusted his coat, straightening the folds that the teen had caused from 'trying' to undress him earlier.

The student watched silently, trying to quell his rising nervousness as the normally motor-mouthed teacher kept quiet. He watched Shuichi stand up with his bag clutched under an arm, the other hand reaching for the doorknob. He lowered his gaze, unhappily waiting for the moment the door would shut behind his departing guest. Maybe then he would truly believe his teacher didn't want to face him. He silently rebuked himself; he'd gone too fast and pushed too hard, going further than the teacher wanted. He knew it, and now he'd driven his sensei away…

"Yuki-kun!"

Thoughts interrupted, he raised his head just in time to see his Sensei whirl around quickly. The teacher raised himself onto his toes, lips reaching for his. He didn't know if his Sensei meant to go for the center of his lips, but the man landed the touch on the curve of Eiri's mouth. The teen didn't know how to react to such an innocent and chaste kiss, and remained still. Shuichi pulled back and hurried to the door, looking over his shoulder with a soft smile playing on his lips.

"Don't forget our deal now," he said to the shocked teen, and closed the door behind himself.

Eiri blinked. His honey eyes widened momentarily, before narrowing as he regained his composure. Reaching up, the teen touched a fingertip to the corner of his lips, relishing the lingering taste of Shuichi on his mouth. He leaned against the wall beside the door and smiled softly to himself.

'_I won't forget.'_

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

In his car Eiri smiled, opening his eyes and pulling his thoughts away from the incident from last week, turning to gaze out the window.

_That_ was why he was here at school early. That and he'd been forced to ask K-sensei to re-teach him the lessons he had missed while working as Shindou-sensei's student aide. Eiri had been a little disappointed when Shuichi admitted not knowing a thing about English writers. He was a writer and aspired to become the western's next greatest writer, and he had hoped that the man he admired would know at least _something_ about literature…

But it didn't really matter in the end anyway. He wanted Shuichi just the way he was.

Eiri had a lot of work to catch up on and never mind his classmates were staring at him in wonderment at his sudden vigor to catch up with his studies. He was working hard and refused the other students' offers to borrow their finished test papers and homework. He brushed away the invitations from the girls to attend 'study groups' with them, and refused almost all contact. It took a while, but they all were reminded that Yuki-kun preferred things to be done his way and his alone. The student knew it would all be worth it in the end.

How could it not when he had a date with destiny?

"I should go," Eiri mumbled to himself, grumbling his way out of a fantasy that would surely completely distract him all over again. He needed to focus on the day ahead of him. He gripped the car door handle but before he could even open it, movement caught his eye. His gaze fixed on the strangely familiar black and shiny car; Eiri stepped out of his own vehicle and automatically locked it behind him. The object of his focus was parking in one of the open slots in the junior years' parking space.

A youthful-looking man with a guitar case stepped out from the passenger seat, but Eiri quickly decided the man couldn't be a new transfer student. He looked older than his Sensei, and his long cinnamon hair was untied. It might not be much of an indicator, but one of Seguchi's most strictly enforced rules noted that _all_ men with long hair were to tie it up while on campus. Eiri himself was toeing the line on that one…

He didn't much care who the man was, what he was really interested in was the woman he recognized in the driver's seat. The man leaned over to speak to the woman, his expression friendly and calm. Eiri watched, hoping the female was really not who he thought it was. But when she turned to speak out her window, her face gave Eiri a proper view of her features, he did know.

It was her.

The scenes of the woman panting with lust replayed in his mind. What was her name again? Miya…Miya..ri? Eiri's brow furrowed further when she leaned over and pecked the man on his cheek, her face still contorted in that worried expression.

He wanted to rip her head off. There could only be _one_ reason she would be here looking that worried and hopeful, and it no doubt involved the love of his life and that event three weeks prior. But before he could decide on a course of action, the woman took off in the car, and the unidentified man turned to the building entrance.

Snatching his bag and notebooks, Eiri hurried to catch up. If there was something about to happen and Shuichi was involved, he sure as hell wanted to be there for it. He followed a few paces behind, keeping up and able to see where the man was going without really drawing attention to himself… until a large figure with a blonde ponytail blocked his path.

"Hallo!" K greeted with his thick English accent.

Eiri sneaked a glance over the American's shoulder, seeing his target head up the stairs. He tried to circle around the obstructing man but K anticipated the move and stepped into the student's way, blocking him again.

"Where are you going?" the American asked, holding up his 'tool', the barrel of which Eiri was suddenly rudely re-introduced to. "You're ten minutes late! Time is of the essence young Yuki Eiri!"

"Look," the student said exasperatedly, more than a little aware that the man he'd been trailing was now out of sight, "I have to go… and see Shindou-sensei. I have to ask him something--"

"No can do, siree!" the man whooped, stepping forward and backing the teen towards room four, "If you leave now I won't have enough time to explain Shakespeare's Macbeth to you. Now get moving, 'coz time's a-wasting!" He stopped and frowned. Eiri was suddenly standing his ground and refused to budge further. "Besides," the teacher reasoned, "what do you need to ask him about? Shuichi doesn't know anything about the values of Shakespeare's work, so you're better off asking me… your homeroom teacher." In finality he barked, "Now come!"

Realizing he couldn't argue anymore, Eiri cast one last annoyed glare down the hall at the staircase where the man had disappeared.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

He was highly pissed off.

It was quite evident by the way Eiri strode purposefully, forcefully on his way. He seethed as he strode down the hall and up the stairs, radiating such an aura of angry intent that people scattered out of his path. No one met his fiery golden stare, no one tried to stop him and no one tried to flirt with him. Yuki Eiri was on a rampage and there was no one stupid enough to try and get in his way.

Ignoring the surreptitious glances thrown his way, Eiri tried to reign in his anger; his anger for K-sensei.

Just an hour ago, he had seen Shuichi's ex talking to a man who'd disappeared up the stairs. He was fairly certain the man was now with his Sensei and he did _not_ like it that he didn't know what was going on. When he'd tried to follow, that damned America had interfered. He'd been dragged into class against his will, and then K-sensei had threatened to fail him for the entire quarter of the school curriculum if he didn't listen to the lectures. He still regretted submitting to the man's wishes despite what had been put at stake. As soon as the homeroom bell had rung, he'd dashed out, ignoring the teacher's further threats for being out on his way to missing second period.

Clutching at the rail to aid him on his rapid ascent up the stairs, Eiri took the steps three at a time. The pounding of his feet almost seemed to echo the headache building behind his eyes. Because if losing the trail of that unknown man wasn't bad enough, if sitting through that annoying American teacher's class hadn't pissed him off enough, then what really lit his fuse was who he'd seen through the school window during first period. That… that _bitch_ Miyari –or whatever her name was—was here.

She was in the building, and it didn't take a genius to figure out where she would be right now.

Eiri didn't give a rat's ass if K-sensei was curious as to why he immediately bolted out of the room at the sound of the bell. He did not care if he was losing time he could be spending on his homework. Work forgotten, he wanted… no _needed_ to know what the big conspiracy was against his Sensei… and he needed to see if the man was alright. A heartbroken teacher talking to an ex on school grounds could never be a good idea.

He slowed his steps as he approached room 3-7 just as he came upon the door, he suddenly and clearly heard Shuichi. A very upset Shuichi,

"What do you mean 'another chance? Huh, Miyari! Are you telling me to suck it in and take you back?!"

A woman said pleadingly, "No! That's now what I meant! I'll pay whatever it takes--"

"You'll _pay_ me?! I am not a fucking toy, do you hear me? You think you can buy me?"

"Shu… will you calm down?" This one was a man's voice, perhaps that unknown guitarist? Eiri frowned, standing before the door suddenly not knowing what to do. He wondered if he should barge in and break up the scene… or would his love become upset with him and lash out?

"Hiro! I can't believe you agreed to this! No! I don't want to take her back--"

Miyari spoke again, a little more desperate, "But you've forgiven me before, love, please one more time... I'm sorry! I don't know what came over me, I--" Eiri heard something crash violently, the sound cutting off whatever the woman had intended to say. He wanted so badly to be near Shuichi, feeling somehow that he should be there for the older man.

"You're fucking crazy!" He heard his Sensei harshly say. Eiri suspected that his teacher had been going for a dramatic exit by throwing open the door, but instead rammed straight into him. The two tumbled to the ground. Instantly, the lines of tension on the teacher's face faded as he stared up into Eiri's equally startled eyes. The teacher and student stared silently at each other for a lingering moment.

"Yu--Yuki-kun!" Eiri watched the deep red color rise across his teacher's face as Shuichi disentangled himself from his student. "I-- I'm sorry!" Shuichi said quickly, rolling to the side and to his feet, then reached to help his student get up.

Before Eiri could utter anything, he was saved from himself. He might have only said something that would most likely unintentionally embarrass his teacher further, anyway. That long-haired man from earlier in the morning came to stand in the doorway, breaking the trance.

"Shu, are you okay?" he asked.

"Yes. I'm fine Hiro." Eiri noted the sudden hostility in his Sensei's usual friendly voice and those lovely purple eyes narrowing in sarcasm.

Ah, so that was this man's name.

Seconds later, _that woman_, came to the door. Up close, now that he really looked at her, Eiri could see she had a nicely curvaceous but lean figure, and that she towered over the pink haired teacher by a good few inches. But that didn't matter to him right now, the thoughts sliding away as he glared at her.

She opened her mouth to speak but broke off the intent when she saw him. Her eyes went wide, as Eiri's own narrowed, and he saw recognition in her gaze. The tension built again, this time between him and the girl, Shuichi noticed the chill in the air as he looked back and forth between them, sensing trouble.

Hiro ignored the exchange, maintaining his calm aura and giving off a peace-maker's air. Eiri might normally have appreciated such a level-headed mediator but the fact that he seemed to be in cahoots with this Miyari woman biased his opinion.

He did _not_ like this Hiro, Eiri decided.

Pulling her gaze away from him, Miyari tried again, cooing sweetly, "Shu-han…" Eiri gritted his teeth at the way she addressed _his_ man. "Let's talk somewhere private. Away… from here…" She gave him a disapproving look, carefully eyeing him from head to toe.

"Actually," Shuichi declared, glancing at Eiri, "My student needs me. I am obligated as his teacher to put my students as my top priority. That is my job here in the academy." Eiri noticed that his Sensei looked as if he was about to cry. He wondered if Shuichi was ashamed to be telling the woman off.

"Shuichi, now reconsider!" Hiro interjected, hands raised in a conciliatory gesture toward the angry teacher. "Miyari's trying really hard to settle your dispute--"

"Dispute?" Shuichi repeated with disbelief, eyes widening. "_Dispute?!_" The amethyst eyes narrowed again. "Hiro! I don't think you know why I'm even standing here! I'm here facing her because _you_ asked me to! I agreed to see her because _you_ wanted me to! But I'll let you know right now, the thing she did is nothing close to being called a 'dispute' because _she cheated on me!_"

The student observed Hiro's face when the man let out a gasp, ignoring Miyari's shameless cry, 'No!' It was immediately obvious that Hiro did not know the full story, and Eiri's lips twisted into a cruel smile at the realization Miyari might have just ruined her best chances at getting Shuichi back by lying to her mediator. But he could do nothing when, without further ado, the furious teacher turned on his heel and stalked away from the group, leaving the three behind.

This time Eiri thought it best to let him be.

**O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O**

So now he knew that his sensei was definitely _not_ alright.

It bothered him, and the rest of Class Four could wondered why their idolized classmate kept sighing throughout the day, because Eiri didn't give a damn what they thought. The entire thing had put a damper on his so far good, week long, mood. He was particularly bothered by the thought of his Sensei somewhere crying his gorgeous violet eyes out… without him there to give comfort. Poetically, he could liken the mental image of those wet eyes to a lone lily in the midst of a storm… but what use was it all when he could not be there for his love?

He sighed again.

As though summoned by Eiri's dejection, the clouds shifted and the student's idle musings were interrupted by the tapping of raindrops against the window. The misery, thankfully, was countered by the school-end bell. The class rose to leave, the day finally over. Despite the impassive expression on his face, Eiri heaved another heavy breath as he stood. He ignored the stares, the greetings, and the invitations for after school fun, and headed out for Room 3-7. He wanted to make sure his Sensei was feeling better, wanted to talk to him, but the sight of Shuichi made him stop.

Down the hallway he saw Shuichi turn down the staircase, accompanied by Hiro and Miyari.

Them again? When would those two learn to leave his Sensei alone? Eiri gritted his teeth as he followed behind, watching them move for the front exit. He had been thinking about the earlier incident all day, wondering what course of action the teacher would take. Shuichi didn't really seem like the type to hold a grudge for any reason, but Eiri had thought –had hoped-- the weight of Miyari's crime would somehow push the man over the edge. He had hoped that Shuichi, _his_ Shuichi, wouldn't take the woman back no matter how forgiving he was.

But when he saw the three get into the woman's car, his heart dropped and his hope began to fade.

Hurt and sad, Eiri watched them drive away. It hurt. He looked out across the parking lot and absently headed out, not bothering to cover himself up from the rain as he walked to his car. He sluggishly got in and was so disconnected he wasn't sure how he'd driven home when he got there. Doubts and insecurities plagued his mind and when he stepped into the elevator he asked himself why Shuichi would ever agree to reconcile with Miyari when… when Eiri could do better for him.

He ate his dinner silently, watching the gray skies out his window, thinking of ways he could provide better for his sensei. Love, trust, _fidelity_… he would give it all to Shuichi. In the shower, he decided that he was sure he could and would, if given the chance, pledge his heart and devote himself to the man. But would his Sensei _want_ what he had to offer? The man had not come to _him_ when he was down, had not come to him for protection from that nosy bastard Hiro or to escape from the bitch Miyari.

Did Shuichi even like him?

Annoyed and confused, he didn't bother putting on a shirt before he quietly slipped into his study. Trying to refocus his energy, he armed himself with his Algebra II books and Biology worksheets for the egg lab report, and sat down to work. No sooner had he set all his needed materials down on the table when that heavy feeling nagged at him again. He'd never felt so… vulnerable, not since his last…not since his last affair with _that man_ from a long time ago. The writer determinedly got to work, and a few hours later, when he looked down at the small novel's worth of school work, he asked himself,

What would this mean now?

Sure he had worked hard, and now he only needed his papers checked to make sure all the answers were right. But after that, would he still get what he'd been aiming for, what Shuichi had promised to him last week? He wasn't quite sure he could settle for the kisses he'd already taken… wasn't sure if he could be content to return to merely dreaming of his Sensei's moans, the feeling of the teacher's body beneath his.

Imagining how perfectly they'd fit together…

The thought of going back to nothing but fantasies made him both angry and sad.

He set his pencil down, turned his papers over, and put his head in his hands. For the millionth time that day, he let loose another heavy breath. The thought of Miyari groveling for his Sensei's forgiveness, that Hiro urging Shuichi to accept a resolution, it annoyed him. It wasn't fair! He'd worked so hard for that damn date and whether or not their plans would push through hung in the balance of Shuichi taking Miyari back or not.

Eiri jolted out of his train of thoughts at the sound of knocking. It was from his front door but he hadn't been expecting anyone. Thinking some take-out delivery boy had lost his way, he stood up to answer.

On any other day Eiri would have checked the peephole but this was no ordinary day. Having expected to find someone unknown behind the door, he instead found the last person he expected, the one person he'd _most_ wanted to have near him. Soaked to the bone, hair a darker shade than he'd ever seen it and shaking from head to toe… stood Shuichi. Eiri decided he was lucky he'd stepped back with the shock of seeing his teacher, especially since a hundred pounds worth of Shuichi suddenly leapt into his arms. Reflexively, the teen clutched his teacher to himself, glad his chest was bare tonight.

"Se-sensei…?" he said, tentatively. He suddenly didn't care if there was no answer when the smaller body pressed harder against him.

"I--" his teacher choked out, sobbing between his words, "I didn't know where else to go… I didn't want to go back to her and I… I didn't want to be alone! I don't want to cry for her again, so please," he begged, burying his tear streaked face into Eiri's shoulder, "Just let me stay here for tonight…"

Eiri blinked down at the little man in his arms. Shuichi was shaking and it was not from the cold, the wetness from the rain from his clothes dripping onto Eiri's suddenly sensitive skin. He clutched his Sensei to himself, gathering Shuichi fully into his arms and kicked the door shut behind him. In his living room, he settled the smaller man in his lap, holding him close and comforting him, waiting until the sobs die down. A long while later, when the weeping finally died down completely, Eiri attended to cleaning them both up.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

"I'm sorry, Yuki-kun," he heard his Sensei mumble.

Eiri glanced over from his study desk to where his Sensei was hunched over in a ball on the student's spare futon, looking adorably cute in one of Eiri's blue dress shirts. The garment was much too big for him and came down to his knees, the sleeves overhanging off his hands. Shuichi's eyes were swollen from crying and his face was pale, but he still looked every inch the cutest person the student had ever seen. Shuichi finished his warm milk and placed the empty mug down on the floor beyond the edge of the futon. Rearranging the sheets around himself, he snuggled into the soft layers.

"Thank you, Yuki-kun!" he whispered with soft enthusiasm, giggling a little as he lay down.

Eiri kept an eye on him for a moment, wondering how tiring his Sensei's discussion might have been. He shook his head softly, smiling a little to himself and tore his gaze away to focus again on the last bits of work he had to finish. He dimmed the lights and resisted the urge to crawl into Shuichi's bed, firmly turning his back on the sleeping man. He was almost back in gear and fully concentrating when he heard his sensei's soft voice,

"Yuki-kun?"

"Hm?" He did not turn to look, knowing that if he did he wouldn't be getting any work done. He could hear the warmth in his Sensei's voice when the man spoke,

"I'm proud of you that you're working hard. You're almost done, right?"

Eiri nodded, this time unable to stop himself from glancing back and over his shoulder. "Yes. I'm almost finished, Sensei." He watched Shuichi, studying the purple sleep-hooded eyes.

Giving a wide sleepy smile, Shuichi huddled under his covers, eyes slipping shut. "Good," he whispered, his voice fading as he drifted off into sleep. Eiri had to strain his ears to hear his last words,

"Because I can't wait for our date…"

Eiri found relief for the first time that day, and smilingly he watched the man fade away into dreamland before turning around to his papers, and suddenly the student found that he'd finally finished.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

**AN: All I can say is I am greatly thankful for my heaven sent beta Tsubaki! She'd made all my rough words flow so smoothly I hardly ever recognize anything! Thank you so much! **

**Another thing I am thankful for are for the wonderful wonderful reviewers who've given me so much inspiration with their thoughts! I want you all to know that I am working so very hard for all of our sakes to finish this project hopefully soon I love you all and I hoped you all enjoyed my small Thanksgiving present!!**

**Please do review and share to me your thoughts and Thanksgiving spirit! Please and thank-you! **

**Happy Thanksgiving to all! **


	7. Hell Filled Week with a Dip of Heaven

**AN: Gomen for taking so long! It took me about two weeks to come up with this chapter and then my beta took a few days because she was busy so I'm really sorry for the delay! Anyway, read on and please read the rest of the note at the end of the chapter  
**

Chapter Seven: Hell filled Week with a Dip of Heaven

There was nothing Eiri could ask more of the deities when his Sensei chose to stay with him.

The past four days with his teacher had passed blissfully. He'd found it so calming, so satisfying, that he thought he might have found his Nirvana.

After the traumatizing incident last Friday, Shuichi had spent the night. And after spending the following day calmly in Eiri's apartment, the two had quickly figured out how well they co-habited. They had spent Saturday trying to study but that was hopeless when Eiri kept teasing his Sensei about his small stature. Shuichi blushed so prettily and his pouts were just so adorable that finally the student had to distract himself by suggesting he cook for the older man.

Shuichi had been quite surprised to see how skilled his student was in the kitchen. The teacher admitted he was no where near as good, but that was alright with Eiri because he decided that he liked taking care of his teacher. This man who would be, if he had anything to say about it, his.

By Sunday morning, Shuichi had asked to move in with him. Eiri had thought he might leap with joy at that question. Was there ever any other answer than 'yes'? He hid his enthusiasm, solemnly nodded yes and was almost instantaneously barreled into by the exuberant teacher. Having received permission, the teacher reappeared later that very same afternoon, carrying his few possessions.

Eiri had dutifully shown his teacher around the place, barely able to contain his mounting excitement. Having settled in, the teacher snatched the teen's wrist and dragged him out of the large apartment.

"To the bakery!" Shuichi had declared as though charging into battle, "Yuki-kun likes strawberry cheesecake, ne?"

The teen nodded. He wondered how his Sensei got a hold of that particular 'secret.' It did not occur to Eiri that if someone were to simply peek into his rubbish bin, there could be found fancy cake boxes with cream-smeared lids, each fancily marked with a little strawberry sticker.

On Monday morning, Eiri gave his sensei the extra key to the apartment. 'Lent' was the term his pink haired obsession had referred to it when it was accepted, but Eiri planned on doing something about that opinion. 

After all, now that he had the man, there was no way he was going to let go.

Shuichi and Eiri both left the apartment for school at the same time that day. The student was so happy he drove within traffic laws just to prolong the contentment of having Shuichi in the car with him. He got them to school on time, and by six thirty the two were straightening out Room 3-7 in preparation for the day. Having stayed to help, the student was afforded the amusing sight of watching his Shuichi pull out his chair from beneath the teacher's desk to use as a stepping stool when he reached for the top of the blackboard to write. With a smirk he wondered, when Shuichi wrote lectures, did he stand on the chair or did he simply use only the bottom half of the board…

It was when Shuichi fell and nearly smacked his head on the floor did the student finally decided to do something other than ogle. He was more than a little worried, having heard the displeasing sound of that small body hitting the floor.

"Baka Sensei!" he hissed, concerned and annoyed, helping the man up and inspecting him carefully. "If you need help just say so!" he continued to scold; only when he realized the teacher was staring at him with big purple jewel eyes with an expression so innocent did he stop.

He sighed.

"Sensei, would you like me to help you?" he offered politely, though his tone was rather unceremonious.

"Would you?" Shuichi asked shyly.

At the student's nod, the teacher handed over his piece of chalk and the class schedule. Pushing the chair out of the way, Eiri smirked as he raised his arm and without difficulty reached the top of the board. He began to copy the schedule onto the board and, each time he ducked his head to check the paper in his hand, his Sensei was there on the border of his vision. He was more than aware of the eyes observing him. Shuichi didn't pretend, obviously watching the tall and handsome student.

Just as Eiri finished, the bell for homeroom rang and the teen chucked the half reduced chalk into its container and turned to his smiling teacher. Bowing slightly, being younger and a student, the teen turned for the door. He retreated to the halls, nodding at Shuichi's cry of, 'Thanks, Yuki-kun!!"

All morning, most of his lunch period, and the few hours of the afternoon were dedicated to day-dreaming about his teacher. He schemed, thinking up ideas on how to bring Shuichi and himself closer in their relationship. Though he was now on more friendly terms with his pink haired teacher than anyone else, it just simply wasn't enough. Eiri was pretty sure that devouring the older man with his eyes was not enough anymore.

Now if only his teacher would get the hint that 'Yuki belonged to him.' Eiri wished all of a sudden he could have more detention… now that Shindou-sensei was this week's detention monitor.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Monday afternoon was when the trouble began.

The teen went home when his soon-to-be lover insisted he go on ahead. There, he patiently went to position himself in his living room to wait for his lover.

Screw the 'soon-to-be' thing; _Shuichi was his._

Eiri had been so busy thinking about the man of his dreams that he hadn't notice the familiar motorbike outside he'd walked right past. It was only when he saw a black haired 'Yuki Eiri look-alike' in his living room did he finally come out of his thoughts.

"What, the fuck are you doing in my house?" he said to the teen watching his TV, in a very hostile voice. Tatsuha was comfortably lounging on his couch, beer and snacks in hand. The 'guest' with raven dark hair narrowed dark eyes, as he glanced up at the angry writer. Despite how alike the brothers appeared, despite the opposition in coloring, Tatsuha's face broke into a grin which Eiri was certainly _not_ ever going to be caught dead giving to _anyone._

Except maybe Shuichi…?

"Aniki!" the younger boy cried excitedly. But when he caught sight of the glower on his brother's face he explained, "I'm just visiting! Dad wanted me to check on you since you never reply to the calls and letters. Mika too." 

Eiri's eyes narrowed on the sight of _his_ beer in the hands of someone other than him.

"The joys of being a monk!" Tasuha wailed with dramatic woe, completely unconvincing.

_Fuck._ Eiri thought, _Shuichi might come home any minute…_

"Yeah, yeah. Get your ass out of my house, Tatsuha." Eiri glared, adding warningly, "Now."

Tatsuha looked at him, a fake pout in place. "Aw! But I don't have anywhere else to go! They didn't give me enough money to go to a hotel! C'mon, nii-san!"

"No." Eiri headed for the phone, saying, "I'll call Tohma and that's it. Now get the fuck out."

Eiri watched expressions flit across his younger brother's eyes. He could make an easy bet that the thoughts going through his kid brother's head involved a _lot_ of musings over what he could do with a few of Tokyo's un-bred girls and Tohma's large jacuzzi.

"Okay, then!" Tatsuha called gleefully, hopping off the couch. "I'm out of here." He pulls on his shoes quickly and heads out the door. Usually, it took Eiri having to endure a lot of whines and excuses of not having anywhere to go before his brother would leave. Thankfully, Tatsuha's own imagination provided all the reasons he needed to be convinced he'd be better off staying with his brother-in-law instead.

The front door shut, and Eiri let out a relieved breath.

Not a few moments later, the door re-opened and Eiri turned to yell at his brother again. Instead of his look-alike, it was Shuichi who walked in. He eyed his sexy Sensei as the man groaned and flopped over onto the couch. He smiled softly; being home with this man was what he loved best. After four o'clock, here in this apartment, was where his charade as the 'student' and his Sensei's proper behavior ended. His baka Shuichi was what remained.

"Yuki!" Shuichi cried when the teen settled on the floor beside him. Before Yuki could say anything else, the teacher continued, "I just saw the strangest thing!"

_Uh-oh…_

"There was this younger guy in front of your apartment door, right there on the landing, and he looked just like you! Except he had black hair and eyes instead of blonde hair and golden eyes," Shuichi giggled. "He was hitting on a girl and bribing her with something about a nice 'jacuzzi' party when I spotted him. I tried to walk past him but he spotted me and tried to keep me away from the door! It was so strange because he looked like you!"

Eiri groaned inwardly and leaned over Shuichi immediately to quickly glance the teacher over. For sure Tatsuha would have tried to touch his obsession if they had talked for more than ten seconds… When there appeared to be no signs of molestation, Eiri was assured and he sat back.

"And what's so strange about him looking like me?" he asked, sipping his beer.

Shuichi grinned, "He was exactly your opposite," he replied.

"Hn," said Eiri, deliberately trying not to lead the conversation. As though taking the hint, the older man sat up, his excitement calming.

"Seguchi-san gave me the outline for the essay you have to submit for the contest," said the teacher. "Would you like me to go over it with you now?"

Calmly, from his seat on the carpeted floor, Eiri turned away from the couch and leaned back against the side. He took a drink of the beer Tatsuha had left on the coffee table. When Shuichi brought up the subject of his essay, the writer had to think about it for a few minutes. Because whenever he thought of the essay, all he could think about was what would happen after it was finished. And judging from the way Shuichi seemed to be very interested in helping him finish it might mean the teacher was thinking the same thing.

It was a distracting thought. He knew Shuichi meant to motivate him, but it wasn't quite working. Because aside from the distraction of wondering if the teacher was as eager as he to get to their date, Eiri knew he was deviating from his usual writing style. He had always been known for his romance-genre work, with that reliable twist of betrayal and death. It was his style and one he did very well because it was based on his own feelings; from the bottom of his heart.

Eiri's teacher, by contract was a happy person and thoughts of the Sensei cheered him to the point that it put a damper on his angst-ridden writing mood. Being around the teacher, even thinking about him, made the teen much too happy and calm to write.

Contemplating his dilemma, Eiri lifted the beer to his lips again but his arm was intercepted. He glanced up into his Sensei's worried eyes.

"You shouldn't drink this. It's bad for you." Shuichi mumbled He took the can and placed it aside on the coffee table.

Locking his gaze intently on the older man, Eiri replied to the earlier question, "I'll go through it later…Sensei…" Eiri nearly choked on the word, having addressed the man so formally again. He kept hoping that he would one day be corrected, be invited to call the teacher by his first name. 

Shuichi made no such offer and instead extended a hand to Eiri's forehead. "Okay," he replied.

Eiri watched his Sensei's lips descend on his temple. He'd had a growing head ache earlier, from having been stressing out over the teacher all day, dealing with his academic pressure and his most recent problem with writing. At the touch of those lips, however, it seemed to vanish in a heartbeat. Eiri tilted his head back to rest it on the couch and sighed contentedly.

It had only been a few moment, long moments perhaps, but all too soon Shuichi's lips lifted. The teacher lay back and collapsed tiredly on the couch as if his innocent action had drained the life out of him.

Shuichi and Eiri slid blissfully into sleep beside each other. The teacher on the couch, his arm stretched over to the student's nape where it had slid down, the fingers tangled in the soft honey strands. The student, leaning back against the couch,

A peaceful smile on his face…

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Eiri was jolted from his sweet slumber at the poke of a finger on his nose.

He turned angrily over and came face to face with his demonic look-alike. Instantly, he growled, all too aware that he had very _clearly_ told this nuisance of a brother to get the 'fuck' out of his house and never return.

"Aniki," the raven haired one said, his face very close to his brother's. "So, you're fucking your Sensei?" Eiri quickly stood up and shoved the idiot away.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he snapped, glancing over the clock. It read fifteen minutes before seven in the morning. "And why the hell didn't he wake me up?!" he exclaimed to himself, referring to his fool of a room-mate.

"You didn't answer my question, Eiri!" Tatsuha called gleefully. He turned to watch his brother hastily putting on his uniform.

"By the time I turn around you had better be running off to Kyoto, I don't want to deal with you today or in any day for the matter!" Yuki cussed 'gracefully' when he realized his shirt was inside out.

"I thought something was going on." Tasuha mused as he stood. "You don't see a teacher going about his way just to 'tutor' his student." He smirked and hurriedly asked, as though merely gossiping, "So who's the seme? You or that pink bush man?"

"Tat. Su. ha." Yuki enunciated threateningly. He faced his impishly grinning brother when he was done dressing and snarled, "Get out! And if I hear about you approaching him again, I'll murder you." Eiri shot him a fiery glare and turned to the door. He marched straight to the kitchen and snatched up his Bento, which sat on the counter and had a post-it note on which was scribbled in his Sensei's writing, 'do not forget!'

"Hey look, a message," Tatsuha said, helpfully pressing the red button of the answering machine. He'd intended for it to serve as a distraction to alleviate his Aniki's murderous mood. Had he known what the message was, however, he might not have been so eager to press the button.

Tohma's voice was as calm as ever but his words indicated something else. "Eiri," His voice was toneless and displeased, "Speak to me before going to class. This is _urgent_."

Cringing, Tatsuha glanced at his brother's frowning face and watched the already displeased expression intensify. Tohma rarely used the word 'urgent' so this really was probably important.

"Sounds serious," he observed. "You better get going." He hadn't needed to say it because before the words were fully out of his mouth, his brother brushed past.

"You better not be here when I get back," Eiri warned in a dangerous tone of voice as he walked out the door.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Eiri arrived just as the bell rung, but he knew better than to ignore Tohma's warning. He immediately made his way opposite the direction of his room and to the principal's office.

He was greeted like normal, full of smiles and mild interrogation about his health. He was impatient, missing class and had Tatsuha suspicious of him. So his replies were no more than grunts, understandably. It seemed like this was nothing more than a waste of time. However, Tohma caught on to Eiri's sour mood and finally got down to what he wanted to discuss.

"Eiri-san, I am most upset," the principal admitted. "I had great hopes that you would make it in time to turn in all your assignments and get a proper grade- however, there had been no progress since I last called you."

A deep frown settled on the teen's face. He said, "No progress? What the hell are you talking about? I turned in all my missing assignments!"

"Hardly at all," Tohma said, indicated a sheet of blue paper which he slid over to the student. "This is your progress report. According to this, you've only managed to turn in five missing assignments and you're still missing quite a few. Should I give you the number?"

"I don't need the fucking number!" Eiri roared, scrunching the paper and standing up, "I turned it all in to K last week before the weekend. He said he would check it immediately and give me my grade!" Eiri was fuming and when he realized this, he calmed himself down. Amusing his brother in law was far from his mind now.

Tohma shook his head. "I'm sorry Eiri-kun. We cannot confirm that because K didn't leave any note about such matters. Your grade is a low D and to enter the exam you must at least achieve a B. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"I'll ask K about it." He breathed out, standing on his feet and storming to the door. He ignored Tohma's calls to him and dashed down the halls.

When Eiri entered his homeroom, he was surprised to see not a blonde American standing with his buddy pistol. Instead he was faced with a familiar youthful-looking fair skinned tall man with reddish dark brown hair. The sunlight gave the teacher's hair a magenta fire. 

Where was K? And what was _this_ bastard doing in front of the class?

"Oh! Yuki?" Hiro asked, looking down at his attendance board. "You are Yuki Eiri right?"

Eiri nodded, trudging past the man and heading to the very back of the room, his own corner that provided him enough space to ponder upon his current dilemma. Why was the blonde sensei missing now that Eiri actually _needed_ to talk to him? And even more importantly, where were all his hard earned papers?

_Oh god. Don't tell me he lost them…that bastard._

The teenager snapped from his thoughts when Hiro spoke, "Class, my name is Nakano Hiroshi. Pleased to meet you. I've been informed that K had left the country due to an emergency concerning his wife, so as of now and until we are told otherwise, I am your Sensei."

Eiri's chin slid off from his supporting hand. The shock alone could have given him a heart attack had he not known at least a little about K-Sensei's absence. Thankfully, he knew _something_ but… out of the country?! Damn it. But he put up his calm front, heaved a heavy sigh and looked out the window. He needed to figure something out now that is was obvious the race against time was not over. K was gone and now he had this bastard as a Sensei, the same one who'd been trying to 'hook' his Shuichi back with an ex.

By the time the bell rung for third lunch, Eiri's only break from school, he had his resolve in place. He stood up and approached his new, disliked, Sensei.

"Sensei," he said, "Did K-Sensei happen to leave any unchecked papers around here?" He tried to keep his voice leveled, though it was still evident that he disliked the man very much. The feeling was certainly mutual as a scowl settled on Nakano-sensei's face. "Or did he mention anything about unchecked papers?"

"No. I'm sorry Yuki-san." With a shake of his head in negation, the teacher turned towards the door. In the doorway, the teacher turned back and offered, "I have matters to attend to right now. But you may look for your papers here." 

There was not much for Eiri to do, and nothing as important as those papers, so he set to work immediately.

He turned the room figuratively upside down in half an hour and… finally found his papers. K had indeed left them behind, but not one of the papers in the large stack of 'Eiri's documents' were marked with the red ink of a grading pen.

The quiet throbbing in the student's head rushed to the forefront of his consciousness. Eiri ran a smooth hand over his hair, a nervous habit of trying to 'comb away' the migraine which was, needless to say, unsuccessful. He could care less about his health however.

His mind was far from where his physical body was, wondering how he was going to manage now. K was gone because of an emergency and he doubted any of the other teachers would be willing to take on the added task of checking the papers of someone else's student. Not to mention without deducting points off since K had given him special privileges in allowing him to submit these papers so late.

If this new situation weren't bad enough, his paper for the CLA was due the next Monday and Eiri still didn't have any idea on what to discuss about 'Beauty', the required subject topic for the essay.

To be exact, he was stuck.

Even if someone took his paper and graded them, he would be unable to submit his essay in such little time. The teen saw very few things beautiful in the world nowadays and making one up would be just as hard as writing from experience. He had supposed he could write about his new desire about a certain teacher, but then figured it would only serve to frustrate him further over his ineptitude at making the man completely his.

Besides, describing his Shuichi was impossible. The feat was like breathing under water.

Looking up, Eiri suddenly noticed that he'd walked out of his classroom toward his Baka's homeroom. Awareness made him see Shuichi, out of the corner of his eye, standing outside and with the sunlight reflecting off his hair. Eiri turned to the window fully, mesmerized by the sight of his love. The view would have been perfect, had in not been for the man the teacher was with.

Eiri's eyes narrowed and his brow creased dramatically at the realization at who Shuichi was talking at. Black hair, familiar features, and just as tall as him…Tatsuha.

_That bastard!_ Eiri growled inwardly, clenching his fist tightly when he saw his own kin place a hand on Shuichi. Whatever they had been discussing must have been intense because the little teacher had a small smile on his face, but had both a sad and hopeful expression too. The teacher, looking up at Tatsuha, was now facing Eiri. His purple gaze slid past Tatsuha's shoulder and directly up into Eiri's face.

To Eiri it was almost as if the space between them had shortened, and all it took was a smile from his beloved man to put his fears to rest. Tatsuha turned and waved at him, but this only served to remind Eiri of his anger. He had warned that little meddling punk to stay out of his business..! He felt enraged when his brother placed an arm around Shuichi's shoulders and began to lead the teacher away from the speculator's line of sight.

The senior was ready to leap out the window and tear the younger man limb to limb, blood relative or not, when he was suddenly interrupted by none other than another hated person.

"Yuki-san," Hiroshi said, catching the young man's attention through the formal greeting, "The bell rung moments ago. What are you still doing here?" he asked, eyeing the teen. He looked outside following the student's line of sight but saw no one outside. He refocused his gaze on his student and asked, "Say, have you seen Shindou-sensei?"

Coldly, the teen turned his back on the teacher, "No," he lied, and walked off.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

The moment the bell rang, Eiri snatched up his bags and walked out of the room.

He was on his way to his brother in law's office to inform the man he had evidence in the form of his finished work, and just needed it to be checked. On the way there, he abruptly realized he did not want to have Tohma himself check the papers; that would be asking for the Principal's help and would only serve to make matters worse. Eiri was quite sure if he went crying to his influential relative, Tohma would use the request of favor to his advantage and probably trap the independent teen into coming to a family 'get together'. The thought alone made Eiri shudder… get together events was where everything occurred except for the 'togetherness' feeling.

He hesitated a moment longer, thinking about his grades, but then turned on his heel. No. He would not ask Seguchi, that man was just too manipulative.

Giving up for the day, he decided to check on his sensei and see if the man would ride home with him. A nice way to end the day was to ensure his Sensei stayed with him. He would wait until later to interrogate him about Tatsuha… before making them a nice dinner for two. And he was sure that after he poured out his sob story about his test paper problem, Shuichi would offer his help and they would come up with a solution for the problem.

Two heads, after all, was better than one.

Eiri paused before room 3-7 to control his smile. Just long enough, in fact, to hear Nakano-sensei's frantic voice through the door.

"What do you mean _nowhere?_" Nakano-sensei exclaimed, "We searched for you everywhere!"

Shuichi spoke then, "Maybe if you don't force me to talk to her again then I won't have to run off! What's your issue with this, anyway? When I say it's over, it's _over!_"

"So you'll just leave Miyari heartbroken like that?"

Eiri gritted his teeth. What the hell was Nakano-sensei's problem? Shuichi had said 'no'! The teen was unaware of his clenched fists, more interested in following the hostile conversation.

"Then I guess she can get comfort from her other million lovers then! But I'm telling you, Hiro, if you push her on me, I'll never talk to you again!" There was a loud sniff, "I don't care anymore. I'm tired and I just want to decide things for myself from now on. Miyari's not my problem anymore."

"But what about--"

"No! I don't care!" Eiri had to strain his ears to hear the last words, "Her influence, her power to make our dreams come true… those are not reasons to let her use me. The relationship doesn't matter anymore!" and with that, déjà vu, Eiri found himself in the way of another dramatic exit. Shuichi had flung open the door intending to run, and instead smacked into the student.

The teen was still trying to make out what the conversation had been about when he realized his teacher was standing before him. His love's pink brows were furrowed, lips bit in bitterness and eyes slightly puffy as the man tried to hold back the oncoming tears. Shuichi appeared to be even less stable than the last time something like this had happened.

Why the fuck can't anyone leave the man alone?!

"Sensei--" but before he could finish, Shuichi was off running. Eiri blinked and his sensei was already gone.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Eiri spent Monday night restlessly pacing his apartment.

When the hour had gone too late, he went to bed but slept fitfully. He awoke on Tuesday feeling grumpy and sour, but rushed to school to find his Sensei. Shuichi was not there and did not come to school that day. That afternoon Eiri went home feeling an aching sense of loss, his day was not complete without Shuichi.

That night he left the door unlock for his teacher, in case the man had lost or forgotten his key. Wednesday morning Eiri found Shuichi had not stepped into their apartment at all, and it was all he could think about the whole day. 

A part of him wanted to figure out a way to have his papers checked and graded. The other part of him was preoccupied by thoughts of the missing Sensei and thinking of where else he might look or who to ask after him. It was so unlike Shuichi to miss class, he thought, thinking of the day he had substituted for his teacher to get the man to rest.

Where could he be?

That afternoon, he went home and found the building partially darkened due to a blown fuse. Some public areas and hallway lights were not functioning correctly. He felt it suited his mood perfectly, the dark shroud of his misery tightening around him.

On Thursday morning, not even the daylight could pierce the gloom in his soul and Eiri decided to skip school.

He wandered idly from room to room, his gaze passing over the evidence of Shuichi living here. He was worried, stressed, lonely… and cold. The warmth in his life, Shuichi himself, was not here and he felt a little lost without the teacher in his everyday life. He vowed that if he ever found the man, he'd smack the teacher upside the head for disappearing without warning then chain the fool to his side. Experiencing a little of what it was like to be without Shuichi was driving him mad.

He developed a massive headache. Not caring, he drank beer after beer and chain-smoked, lighting his next cigarette with the dying embers of the old one. Come afternoon, after a morning of restless pacing, he decided to sit and write thinking he might draw up some inspiration from old unfinished work. Instead, all he seemed to find were drabbles of dying girls and betrayal of men.

He smirked. _What kind of moron would read this shit?_ he thought, incredulously. _Ah,_ he supplied his own answer, _all of Genesis Academy's girls of course._

Eiri smiled at the memory of his playboy days, when all he had to do was bat an eye at a girl to have her running to him. He'd had a few well trained girls after a while; a whistle would mean he wanted two, and a smirk meant he planned on going on and on all night long…

He liked to remember how his smirk, that specific little grin, made some girls tremble. He wondered how Shuichi would tremble…

Those fanciful days were long gone since school had started that year; since Shindou Shuichi had come into his life. It had been a shock to him to learn that his over-demanding body had lasted without sex for the whole three months since. Soon, it would be four months. Four long months spent lusting after that little teacher.

In spite of his un-sated mad sexual desires, he found himself unable to settle for bedding anyone else. It was Shuichi he wanted and Shuichi he would have.

Of course, that made it all the more difficult , not being able to have the man he desired in bed, when his libido sprang to life at the sight of the teacher's lithe form, those innocently enticing expressions and cute pouts. He could not have Shuichi, not yet, and was reduced to playing with his manhood to relieve his stress!

Mindlessly, he shutdown his laptop and leaned over to place his forehead on his desk. The Thursday afternoon light darkened into night, but the teen remained immobile.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

"What the hell do you want?"

Those were Eiri's first words Friday morning. Tatsuha took one look at his brother and was immediately intimidated, like always when his elder brother was pissed off as hell. There was no joke about that nasty snarl, either. Of course Tatsuha's tongue could not be held down.

"Rough night? Where's your teacher?"

Eiri suddenly remembered what had transpired earlier that week, his damn brother with an arm over _his_ man. The same man whom he'd made perfectly clear to his young perverted sibling was HIS.

"You have three seconds to get out of my sight or--" he growled, but Tatsuha interrupted, despite the immediate danger.

The sixteen year old monk laughed nervously, "Oh! Y-yeah, that's right, I forgot to tell you! You're supposed to come visit Kyoto sometime soon!" Eiri's frown deepened and he took a threatening step toward the younger man, and the teen cried out, "Mika's pregnant right now and her condition's delicate, so she couldn't come down here herself, so she asked me to tell you that you're coming!"

Poor Tatsuha. The fact was, his sister _forced_ him here to face Eiri's wrath. It was either hers or Eiri's and at the time, the monk had agreed because he was hoping his brother's fury would not be as dangerous as a pregnant woman's rage. Unfortunately, he had caught his Aniki on a bad day.

Eiri slammed the door in his brother's face and shouted through the door as he stormed down the hall, "You tell her I'm never going back there, you hear me you little shit? This is why you've been here? Well when you go back and tell Mika she'd have to go through a million miscarriages before I step foot in Kyoto!"

Eiri's voice was far away down the hall now but the fact that the venom and words were still clearly audible meant there was no reasoning with the writer in his current state. He also knew how much his brother disliked their home town but that little comment had been a little too hurtful. He couldn't mean that? And forget going back to Mika with her in her current state. He had to keep trying here.

"Aniki! It's not that she wants to just push you into a family gathering!" Tatsuha called back, "We just want to help you! It's hard for us to never see you, you know!"

"You can all move to Tokyo then!" Eiri snapped. "Now leave me the fuck alone!"

Eiri slammed the door to his study and rested against the door. Could the day get any worse?! Why did his family insist on him going back to Kyoto? Couldn't they just let it be the way it was now?

"Fuckin--" The teen mumbled, biting his bottom lip. He was _never_ going back to Kyoto. If he did, he knew exactly what would happen.

_He'd start remembering what was best left forgotten._

The phone rang in the kitchen and when the machine picked up, Eiri heard his brother in law's voice,

"Eiri-san. Are you alright? Tatsuha called me and I think it's fine that you can't come. Maybe Tatsuha shouldn't have spring that to you like he did…" But that was all Eiri heard.

His three days old migraine painfully nagged at him and the teen clutched his forehead in frustration. _Calm down_, Eiri thought as he closed his eyes. He'd not felt so much anger and emotion welling in him in a long time, though the emotions themselves were not new. But this overload meant one thing and his psychiatrist had called it one word. Stress.

With a slight grunt, the teenager pushed himself up from the door and headed for the corner of his office. To the corner where a futon was spread and where his sensei's scent lingered among the tidy sheets…

Eiri closed his eyes and was unable to remember if he ever made it to his heaven. 

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Eiri heard a faint click, but it took a few moments for it to register on him that it could be a burglar!

Great, he thought, but then again perhaps unleashing his temper a bit might get him out of his misery. Eiri could care less about the many things he had in the house, but what he did care about was his laptop with all of his ideas stored in it. 

The teen opened his eyes and looked around. It wasn't completely dark yet, as it showed between the curtains of the small office window. But there was no more orange light either, which meant he must have slept the day away. Momentarily forgetting the danger of startling the intruder, he grunted and struggled to sit up.

A pair of hands immediately shot out of the darkness and grasped Eiri's shoulder, pushing him lightly back onto the pillow. He resisted a little, but the gentle touch was familiar. He lay back obediently when he heard the angelic voice of the man he missed most.

"You should rest Yuki-kun. You look awfully tired."

Eiri blinked and his eyes finally adjusted to the dim light. His breathing eased at the sight of the pink haired head, those memorable violet eyes and the warm smile he'd missed. The younger man closed his eyes, trying to remain calm and keep his heart from jumping up his throat.

The sight of the man unsettled him, this man he'd worried so much about. He wanted to ask where Shuichi had been, to be angry for not saying anything, so many things he wanted to do. But the sight of the man made him happy, despite all the churning emotions. If this wasn't the 'L' word, Eiri wouldn't know what was.

The student wanted nothing more than to nuzzle the soft hands that brushed his bangs aside off his face, but he remained motionless. When the ministration didn't stop, he breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed into his Sensei's comforting touch. Even his breathing eased and, miraculously, so did his migraine.

"I missed you," the teen whispered. "I waited and worried, you know! You shouldn't do that to me." He started a little when he realized what he'd said, and he noticed the teacher's hand had stopped on his forehead. He kept his eyes closed and moved on to another topic, something easier to discuss.

"K-sensei left the country due to an emergency," he muttered, wanting Shuichi to resume stroking his hair. "He hadn't checked my papers, and I haven't finished my last essay…" 

Shuichi's hand withdrew, but Eiri couldn't open his eyes to see the expression on his Sensei's face. He whispered,

"I'm sorry, Sensei." With that, he turned his back on the older man. Facing the wall, Eiri mentally berated himself for his stupidity. The teacher would quickly realize the implications, that there wasn't going to be a date. That which Eiri had been looking forward to the most, what he'd dreamt of for two weeks --it was gone. His only chance to have the man he wanted, he'd allowed to slip away because he had been foolish. Eiri wasn't sure which part he did wrong, but what did it matter?

There was a series of ruffling and muffled movements, then the student felt hot air breathing on his shoulder and a body pressing along his back. Shuichi had moved to lie down behind him, pressing close while two delicate arms slipped around his body to rest lightly on his chest.

_What? What was happening?_

He couldn't understand how his Sensei had known what he had needed most right now. He didn't understand it, but within the warmth of that embrace, his heart beating triple time, Eiri felt that things were going to be alright. How could they not when next, Shuichi spoke the words he had never thought to hear?

"Take me on a date, Yuki-kun?" Shuichi mumbled into his nape, gently but tightly holding the student, his breath sending sparks skittering down the student's spine. "You've been so stressed you deserve more than I could ever give you. Will you take me out? How about this Sunday?"

Eiri let a few minutes of silence pass. He had given up on calming his raging heart, he could never control how the teacher affected him. Instead he reached up and took a hold of Shuichi's small shaking fingers.

"Sunday," he agreed, and added, "Okaeri."

"Tadaima," replied the teacher softly. The student could hear the smile in the man's voice.

Feeling as though everything in the world somehow made sense again, his migraine completely gone, Eiri let himself slip into slumber. Friday night, he slipped away into dreamland within Shuichi's embrace, their fingers twined together.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O  
O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O-O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O  
O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

**AN: Hey yo!!! Sorry for the late update! But hopefully Chapter Eight would be here soon! And guess what?! Well…you're suppose to guess, but hopefully I'll deliver on what's everyone been waiting for. A DATE right? Wait… I hope that's what everyone been giddy about!**

Lol. A few review answers:

Solitaire- WHAT?! You WANT Shu to be seme? Hole schmolie! That's a lot to think about- it's making me all energetic now! Lol. Thanks for enjoying!

Motoko- Aw shucks! Thankies for the comment! It makes me blush! So happy you and so many more are appreciating my fanfiction! I have to say this has got to be one of my best! (Only cause I have the greatest BETA)

ANKuma- Thnks for reading. Now about your question- yes. There will be more details of Kitazawa- however, if not, he is mentioned because it's important in the future

Everyone else from Gurabite, thanks for the support! Due continue to review if you've time

From Hee hee. I must say your review is one of the top five I ENJOYED MOST. I was laughing so hard at how well you understood my fic! I did have trouble holding myself back from making the man ravish his man… Heh. Heh. Don't worry. Hiro's a good guy, a little cynical jerk he can be, he wants the best for Shu.

Teania- Thanks for reminding! I'll get on that later 

Libe- Yay! I feel so honored to have you say that. It's most refreshing to hear that from readers!

Katbites- Don't worry, when you've turned into a pile of chocolatey goo, I'll make you into a statue to give to poor ol' Shu, or Eiri

Everyone else. Thankies! I know no one reviews much in AFF but you guys are the best of the best readers!

Now on to my favorite site! FF!

Lies- I know what you mean. I've been running in the same problem for quite some time too! Please keep reading and reviewing! I enjoyed the long review!

o2xquisite- Well, in the second chapter, or was it third? Maybe it was the first…Shuichi says he's twenty-two, then Eiri says Shu's only four years his senior- which would mean he is eighteen. I'm sorry if I was confusing, but I really don't like writing down the age since they've never helped me. I guess I'm wrong! Thanks for reading!

Llpeez- I want shu too as my teacher!

Kanoi-chan- Thanks for the review and hoped you liked this chapter too,

Em-chan- Hee hee. So you've noticed. I'm just waiting for them to get soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo close they won't be able to keep their hands off each other! cackles

Okay! Please review/recommend/ put on alert/ whatever I'll have the date up soon, but I need reviews to make me smile in the meanwhile! Oh- and another thing, give thanks to Tsubaki she is a great writer/beta. You guys should check out her angst. It's so heartwarming/breaking/warming?


	8. Shining Collection

AN: Tsubaki! Thanks so much for taking a few days from your holidays to fix this chapter! Much of my heart goes to you Merry (belated) Christmas and Happy New Years to everyone!

Chapter Eight: Shining Collection

It was a very early Sunday morning. And on such a day as the weekend, and a time as six in the morning, it was not strange to see Genesis Academy so idle.

But what was strange was a seeing a 'ghost' making its way down the halls and turning a corner to enter room 4 of the main building; a pink haired apparition. Of course it wasn't really a literal ghost, but one of the stranger teachers Tohma Seguchi himself had hired.

Smilingly this intruder rummaged around class four, practically overturning the teacher's desk and searching through all the drawers, digging into their contents. It wasn't until an hour and a half later did he find what he was looking for, and his smile widened as he took the folder and sneaked it into his bag.

Standing, he froze in the middle of turning to head out when he heard a strangely familiar voice,

"Hey, Shu. What are you doing?"

Shuichi-sensei, jumped nearly through the ceiling as he focused his eyes on the figure standing not far from him and leaning against the wall.

"Hiro!" the caught teacher almost yelled, he was sure to strap his bag over his shoulder as he made his way to the door. Of course the action didn't escape the sot and sharp gray eyes of his best friend, "Wh-why are you here?" he asked. 

Following the genki man out, Nakano Hiroshi yawned and shrugged, "I had to stay late and check some of the assignments. Then I guess I fell asleep in the teachers' lounge. You?"

"Same same. Well, not really, I was just looking for something." Shuichi didn't offer much of an explanation, something rare in the years of their friendship. After a moment of silence, when it became clear to the smaller man that he wouldn't be left alone by his best friend, he stopped on his tracks and said, "I'm sorry."

"Huh?" Hiro said, a little taken aback, "For what?"

"For yelling at you. And Miyari. I know I've been a little immature huh?"

Hiro had stopped walking, "More than the usual? Yes. Miyari says you don't have to come back to her at all; it's not like… you really loved her at all. Huh?"

"Yeah," Shuichi mumbled, looking out the window with a smile, a certain image of a blonde student coming in his mind. "It's not like we promised to be faithful or anything."

"She and I are just worried. Ever since you were employed here, you've changed a little," Hiro commented. In afterthought, he continued, "I don't know how it happened but we're both worried. Even if you two have broken up, she still worries about you."

Shuichi nodded, clutching his bag a little more firmly. Outside the window, he saw a solemn Sakura tree dying earlier than the others. A bird landed on its branch where a group of hatchlings chirped impatiently for their food. For a moment his conversation was lost, until one of the baby bird fell and landed unceremoniously on the ground. The creature appeared un-hurt.

Spell broken, he nodded, "Hiro, it won't ever change right? Miyari will always be part of my life, you as well. Even though I know I've been stupid."

"Oh, don't tell me!" Hiro said, grinning, "I gave Miyari a piece of my mind when I got the story straight. Sorry man, I thought she was good for you, but she ended up… y'know."

"It's okay," Shuichi replied rather cheerily. Miyari… he probably wouldn't ever see her again. But that's alright, because he now has to take care of other things; precious ones, his students. All of them, and particularly… Yuki Eiri.

"Shu," Hiro said softly, taking his hand and lightly squeezing it, "Let's go visit _her_. It'll calm you down… and you can talk to her about all that. You want to go?"

_Her_… Shuichi knew fully well who Hiro meant. Not Miyari. No, someone _different;_ the only person Shuichi found comfort with enough to pour out all of his heart aches, pain, tears, love…anger…sadness… If the offer had been made three months prior to his employment at the academy, he would have left in a heartbeat. He would have jumped on Hiro's motorcycle and yelled for light speed.

But someone had come to take his mind off of _her_.

"I can't Hiro." Shuichi mumbled, lightly pulling his hand away. Hiro's small noise of surprise wasn't unnoticed. Shuichi continued, "Maybe… some other time? 'kay Hiro?"

"Where--" Hiro began, but stopped when Shuichi turned his back, stepped away quickly and left him behind. His frown was small, but he felt it heavily on the inside. Lately, he thought, Shuichi's not telling me anything. He won't say where he's been, what he's been doing around and where he's staying. Even his energy is more subdued. And now… now he can go for weeks, even months, without seeing her?

Hiro sighed heavily. _Oh Shu, what kind of trouble are you getting yourself into?_

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Eiri glanced at his watch. That would be the seventh time of the day, and though he was patient--

"Hey, honey!" a woman greeted casually. Eiri looked her over and wasn't disappointed by her figure. She was definitely older than him by a few years, but she was still young enough. She wore light, smoothly applied makeup, prettily applied red lipstick, and her blonde hair was stylishly curled. She was a heavenly looking creature on the outside, but the student could only guess in the inside.

"Have you been stood up?" she asked, leaning over and letting him take a whiff of her perfume, "How about you come with me for the rest of the day?"

Keeping a straight face, the young male shook his head, and simply but firmly replied, "No." Though, he had the strange and strong urge to cuss her off for even _suggesting_ he would be stood up. Sure, Sensei was a little late…

Eiri watched her disappointedly walk away, though her head remained held up as a nearby crowd of watching girls giggled at her. He looked at his watch again. Nine thirty. 

His Shuichi was late by an hour. In that span of time, he had thought to abandon the idea that his teacher and he were actually scheduled for a date, that his wishful fantasy had not right becoming reality. Then, of course, another part of his mind rebelled against the idea of running off and taking the chance his teacher might arrive only to become the one to wait for him. Eiri hadn't had any plans anyway so he'd decided to stay.

But now that full hour had passed and, after being eyed by more women and some men of Tokyo he did not want more than Shuichi, the teen stood and gave up his resolve. He frowned. He knew it had been _too_ good to be true, he was a student with a stupid crush on a teacher. He knew he should have just waited in the apartment, though his Sensei hadn't come home since after Friday night when Eiri was asked for the date.

But he was still very disappointed. And more than a little hurt.

_Where are you?_ He asked to himself of Shuichi, rather frustrated. He turned to head down the stairs of the mall walkway where they had decided to meet, when his ears caught a distant,

"Yuuukiii!!!"

Eiri turned around just in time to catch a brief sight of the pink-topped figure before it glomped him. His Shuichi _was_ there! With the man's face buried in the teen's neck no less. Gods, did that hug feel good to the student.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Shuichi said loudly, pushing himself back up and straddling the fallen teen's waist to look down at the pale-faced student. "I went to the school this morning to get something important, and then I went home and took a shower, but then I fell asleep because there was an hour left before we were supposed to meet. But then when I woke up it was past the time we were supposed to meet and I was still naked on the bed and hadn't picked out an outfit--"

Eiri could barely make sense of what his teacher was saying. If his sensei was home two hours ago when Yuki was _also_ home then why hadn't the teen seen him? Eiri frowned. _Doesn't he live with me?_

Seeing the expression, Shuichi giggled sheepishly and got to his feet, helping his taller student stand up.

"Oh!" Shu exclaimed, "I didn't tell you!" but before he could finish, his student touched his cheek. Speech was rendered useless as his attention shifted to the younger man before him.

When he had stopped talking, Eiri asked, "What was it, Sen--" but he couldn't finish, not when the older man suddenly scolded him.

"No, no, no, no!" Eiri panicked. No what? No date? But…why? 

"Sense--" he tried again but was cut off when Shuichi shook his head furiously, one hand shooting up to cover the tall teen's mouth. Eiri's eyebrows creased when his teacher's hand curled behind his neck and pulled him down to put their gazes at level.

"Yuki!" Shuichi stage-whispered like a child, "Don't call me Sensei! I'm Shindou Shuichi! I'm your date for today, so you can't act formal otherwise people will think I'm a molester!!!" The older male pulled back and shrieked a fake 'Eeek!' before smiling at his student.

"Whatever, brat," Yuki mumbled, hiding his relief. To distract them both, he took out a slim men's comb and fixed his date's hair. So much for the perfect start… although, his Sensei was rather cute squirming around as he was. Turning away, he continued, "Baka or brat suits you fine, too."

Unfazed by the new titles he was given, Shuichi followed close to Eiri, leaving behind the gathering of heartbroken girls. Eiri could hear them muttering, 'Did you see that? That woman didn't even have a chest! It's awful, a cool blonde cutie like that going out with a mid-schooler!!'

The student smirked, placing a light hand on the oblivious man's shoulder who happily smiled right back.

It wasn't until Eiri opened the passenger side door for his date did he really notice the outrageous outfit the older man wore. He had on skin-tight black trousers, which glistened when the sun hit the leather. He had a loose red tank top and over this a white jacket which came down Shu's groin. It helped to soften the sex devil look but, Gods, Eiri couldn't help but be turned on by this. Shit! He thought desperately, how am I going to keep my hands off of him?!

"Yuki!" Shuichi's voice called, an octave higher than normal, "Are you okay? What's wrong?"

Eiri blinked, eyes refocusing and he saw that his man had been waiting. Hurriedly he closed the door, took a deep breath, and went around the car to get behind the driver's wheel, willing himself never to look at those trousers until he got them to where they were heading.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

"So…" Shuichi shifted shyly, both his hands on the edge of the seat between his legs. Eiri could tell by the sound of his voice that he was blushing madly as he asked, "…where are you…taking me?"

Resisting the urge to make a snide remark, Eiri opted to change the subject, "You said you forgot to tell me about something."

Distracted, the man answered, "O-oh!" he babbled quickly, "Y'know how I was gone for a couple days? W-well, it was because I was looking for an apartment and I found one not far from school!"

Eiri's distaste came in the form of a grunt. He had hoped Shuichi would stay longer than a week.

"And guess what!" Shuichi yelled, deafeningly loud and, not bothering to wait for an answer, continued, "It's really close to your house too! It's about a block away from your apartment!"

The teen found a parking space and turned into it sharply, jerking his passenger as they came to a complete halt from having been going twenty above the given sign of forty miles an hour. Eiri hurriedly stepped out, followed closely by his date who was still talking about his apartment, oblivious to how Eiri had been long lost from the conversation.

Eiri had something else to worry about. Like where to take his Shuichi first.

Glancing over at the amusement park, the student noticed it was just across the street from the movie house which had a film on starring K's wife, Judy Winchester. It was right on the side of the street they were walking. Eiri bounced back and forth trying to decide but to no avail, wondering which should come first. Turning to his date, he asked flatly with a small frown,

"Where do you want to go first?"

The smile on Shu's face froze, but Eiri didn't know what had caused it to slip off that beautiful face. Of course, it was made known when Shuichi's hands suddenly reached up pinched both of his cheeks and cried, "Cute!!!!"

Well… Eiri wasn't going for cute, but as long as it made his date happy… he supposed he could be 'cute' for a day. With a bright smile, the teacher linked an arm through Eiri's idle elbow and pulled the student toward the road and across, laughing as he exclaimed, "To the amusement park of course!"

Eiri's hidden smile was becoming difficult to contain and so he let it make itself known. Giving in, he let his happy mood settle in, showed their passes at the park entrance, and set off to officially start their long-awaited date.

For the first hour, Eiri was able to keep up with the ball of energy. He would not be as undignified as to run, but he had to make use of his longest strides to keep up with Shuichi. Through one ride, Shuichi's favorite being the bumper cars, on to another he was able to keep his teacher in sight.

It occurred to the teen that as he had always suspected, Shindou Shuichi's attention span, when he was excited, could be that of a five year old. Simply put, Shuichi was easily distracted, and was shifting from one activity to another simply too damn fast for his own good.

"Yuki!!!!" Shuichi hollered, waving madly. The teen pulled through the crowd to see what fine activity it was now his teacher had decided upon.

Shuichi held a toy dart gun by a stand with stuff toys moving to and fro along a conveyor belt. The prizes seemed ridiculously far away from the designated shooting area, which explained why the brat was waving him over. He approached, and just as Shuichi was about to say more, a man from the stand hopped up onto a pedestal and, ringing a bell loudly, shouted,

"Step right up! Come one come all! Today is a special day and those of you who have happened by have happened upon a great event! BEHOLD!" the burly man outstretched both of his calloused hands and pointed beyond the crowd where everyone turned to see a woman wearing a bunny suit clutching, or rather leaning against, a bear three times her size which Eiri simply considered was a _monster._

A big, fluffy white monster with a red heart on its chest; _a fucking enormous teddy bear, mother of all teddy bears…_

"Made in America!" the man announced. Everyone clapped as the bunny lady slinked off-stage and away from the bear. The crowd shifted back their attention to the host of the 'great event' more interested than before as to how to acquire the prize.

"These bears aren't just any kind of bear. They're 100 cotton and everyone see that heart on its chest? That is where the winner and his or her lover's name will be placed! These bears, ladies and gentlemen, are one of a kind that we are willing to give away on only one condition!!" His fat index finger pointed to a target set _way_ far inside the stand and, to add to the challenge, the target was only about the size of a fist. The announcer continued, "To win, you must be the one able to shoot the red target in the middle!"

A group of rabbit girls appeared behind the booth, collecting money as they cheered, "Let the games begin!!"

Eiri shook his head as dozens of couples went to the line. Who was so stupid as to participate in fixed game as this?

"Yuki!" Shuichi yelled, pushing against the crowd and clutching unto the hem of Yuki's dark blue dress shirt.

"What?" Yuki asked, staring back into the teacher's watery gaze. _Oh no, Oh, fuckin' no…_

Before he could hold Shuichi back, the teacher scampered off into the crowd, surprising Eiri with the power of his lungs as he yelled over his shoulder,

"I'll win one for Yuki!"

Immediately the teen scrambled after him, pushing anyone and anything in the way. _What an idiot!!_ He thought. _Doesn't he know you can't ever win these kinds of games? Dammit, he'll be depressed when he misses..._ Eiri saw his sensei take up a gun and carefully take aim.

"Shu, don't…" but stopped when Shuichi pulled the trigger.

Eiri had heard something like this happen before. Everything going so fast that it seemed like time froze, only to unfreeze in the most inconvenient moment…

"WE HAVE A WINNER!" _Ah, the inconvenient time._

Eiri blinked amongst the thousand eyes on him as he blushed. His narrow gaze changed from his jumping date to the target which the host held in his hand, ripped in half. _How the hell did he hit that…?_ His attention was called back to where his companion stood, jumping up and down amidst the clapping crowd congratulating him for his great luck.

"Yuki, look!" Shuichi yelled, clutching one of the bear's hands, "I got it for you!!"

Blushing madly, his neck burning red, the blonde quickly turned around to make himself scarce.

"Ah!" Shuichi yelled, torn between attempting to drag the bear along behind him and fall behind, or run and catch up with Yuki. He looked around pleadingly, confused but in the end let go of his newly won toy and ran after the teenager.

"Yuukiiii!" Shuichi whined, huffing from having to run so fast. He was more than happy when the tall blonde slowed his steps, "You don't like the bear?" Silence. "That's okay!" the Sensei insisted, taking Yuki's hand, "We'll get something else you like next time. Wanna take me to a movie now?"

Heaving out a loud sigh, Eiri patted the short man's pink hair and mumbled, "Baka." before letting the pink energy ball go off running.

The movie was nothing short of an adventure. For one thing, Shuichi didn't know until too late that it was X-rated, as all films involving Judy Winchester were X rated.

"Eeep!" Shuichi squealed in the back of the theatre, diving into Eiri's side and burying his head into the teen's shoulder as yet _another_ sex scene came on. Eiri had frowned the first few times and offered the man to take him out for another movie, but Shuichi had insisted on staying. Something about K having a part in it toward the end and, well, Eiri just left it at that. The man really was nothing short of a baka…

After several more times of diving into his side for protection, the student became accustomed to it. He had winced a little at how tightly the baka was holding him but now Eiri decided it was well worth it. He _did_ like having his man close. Of course, to top things off, when the teacher wasn't protecting his virgin eyes, he was crying his eyes out at the angst and drama. In the end, it was all boon to the teen when Shuichi, having seemingly drenched everything dry on himself, moved closer to Eiri, blushing furiously.

After seeing K's short clip where he dies and a big massive explosion followed, Shuichi mumbled, "It suits K." and promptly fell asleep. Needless to say, he fell asleep _on_ Eiri, his head on the student's chest and his hand on Eiri's far shoulder.

Content, Yuki Eiri dozed off as well, head lolling down to sink into Shuichi's pink hair. Watching the movie wasn't as bad as Eiri thought it would be.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Not too long later, judging by his wrist watch, Eiri opened his eyes and wondered for a second where he was. It took a few moments but it all came rushing back when he saw his Sensei's delightful face resting on his shoulder. Looking around, he saw that everyone had gone, the cleaner had just arrived and the theatre screen was black. Gazing down on his date's pink framed face, he allowed a few moments to pass by without disrupting his newly found peace. Bending slowly forward, he decided on planting a secret kiss on the man's forehead before nudging him awake.

"Mmm…" Shuichi mumbled, squirming a bit, clutching at the teen's rumpled shirt.

Yuki shook his teacher again, "C'mon, Shuichi, the movie's finished. Wake up." He took it upon himself to straighten the man's shirt when Shuichi sat up, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"Mm…Okay…" Shuichi mumbled letting the young man pull him out of the theatre.

The sun was already setting when the two 'lovers' exited the theatre on wobbly legs.

"Five twenty six," Eiri said, looking down at his sensei who finally snapped from his sleepiness.

"Aww!" Shuichi grumbled. "Dang it! I slept through our whole date! Man…"

That comment alone was a big ego booster for the young writer. _Shuichi liked our date… regrets that he slept through it… well, that means there might be a 'next time. That's… good._ Truthfully, the younger man hadn't known how Shuichi felt about their date. All of his energy had been focused on running after and keeping up with the man of his dreams!

"Well, what now, Yuki?" Shuichi asked, sitting down on the side walk and yawning at the same time. Eyes closed, he mewled when he felt the teen's hand petting his hair. Feeling absurdly tolerant he said,

"Er… Let's go get my bear. I suppose." At that, Shuichi jumped up.

"What?!" he cried excitedly, "Really? You're going to keep it then?" Eiri frowned, why was he being forced into all sorts of confessions? 

"Sure. You _did_ win it, didn't you?" Amused by the happy glimmer in his teacher's eyes, Eiri offered a small smile, something that his sensei _definitely_ seemed to appreciate in the past.

"Yuki, do that again!" Shuichi cried, standing on his toes to cup the taller man's face.

Eiri slapped the hands away, a little flustered as he said, "What?" He crossed the street towards the amusement park, leaving Shuichi to either catch up or be left behind. He knew which it would be, really.

"That!" squealed the teacher exuberantly, "You smiled! Do it again, please!"

"No." 

"Please!"

"NO!"

Shuichi dissolved into a fit of giggles as Eiri made his way to the shooting stand. Quickly, the burly host from earlier recognized him, smiled, and nodded to one of his assistants who came running back with a bear, dragging it a little. Eiri was immediately intimidated.

"Oh, that's right!" one of the women exclaimed, "We promised that we would stitch something on the heart for the winner. What would you like on it sir?"

Eiri's sharp eyes glanced at Shuichi who had rushed by his side, silently hoping the brat would answer the woman's question. He wondered if the teacher would truly say the words…

"Um…" Shuichi hesitated, "Um…ano…" he looked up inquiringly at Eiri, his eyes tearing, unable to provide a decent answer. "Yuki! I don't know! It's _your_ bear!"

Eiri took out a cigarette, a little disappointed. "Then we won't put anything on it then."

"What?!" Shuichi exclaimed, tugging on his arm as he looked at the blank red heart, "We can't do that! At least put your name on it-- Oh! I got it!" and just like that, the teacher's attention was shifted away from the writer and to the young lady waiting patiently.

Eiri sighed heavily and made his way to the nearest bench. It wasn't until he finished his second stick did his date come back to him and sat, smiling, next to him.

"Hey Yuki," Shuichi said, "You won't mind what I put on it right? They're stitching it now and they said we can come back for it later."

"Whatever," Eiri replied blowing smoke in front of them and watching it drift off. There was a moment of silence until he grumbled with a half hearted frown, "So, what am I supposed to do now?"

Shuichi tilted his head, "What?" he responded. "What do you mean?"

"Well," Eiri explained to his baffled companion, "You did win that…thing for me. So I should probably give you back something. So… from here on and out you can decide what to do for the rest of our date." Eiri had to turn away a little to hide his on coming smile. He had said _our date_ and it had strangely rolled very easily off his tongue leaving an after taste as sweet as candy.

It wasn't that Eiri could read his mind. But throughout the last half of their amusement park adventure, his Sensei had looked like he had something on his mind. He wanted to see what his pink baka would do now.

"Um…I do have…one last thing," Shuichi mumbled, standing himself up before the younger boy. Eiri couldn't help but notice the pretty red hue across the teacher's cheeks. "Yuki-kun, will you…will you take a picture with me? I… I saw a Neo Print machine earlier… and so, will you take one with me?" Shuichi offered a shy smile.

"Baka," Eiri mumbled, getting up off the bench, "Lead the way."

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

By the time they were finished it was fully dark.

Eiri dropped back onto the bench they'd been sitting on earlier, exhausted. After all the activities of the day, it had to be the print club that took all of his energy. Go figure?

They'd had retakes over and over and over again until finally, the teacher was content. The fool was currently sitting next to him, clutching three pages of their faces plastered all over the colorful photo paper in different sizes.

Gods, the expression on his teacher's face made the teen want to kiss him… but, that was too fast right? And they were in public.

"Thanks a lot, Yuki," The teacher mumbled cheerily, looking down on the their faces on the sticker pictures. Shuichi looked happy in the photographs, together with his student who wasn't smiling but who looked content.

Eiri stood up, he had glanced at his watch which read seven thirty and didn't want to exhaust the man too much since there was school tomorrow. It was best they get home and rest.

"Ready--" he started to ask, turning towards his sensei. He stopped mid-sentence when he saw a far away look on the man's face and, following the line of sight, saw the ferris wheel. It was a large wheel with yellow carts and a red stripe going across the gates. Without another thought, Yuki grasped his Sensei's hand, shocking the man whose purple gaze turned to him.

"Want to?" Eiri asked, smiling a little… but it was enough.

The park paths, lit brightly, cast brilliant light Shuichi's face as nodded enthusiastically. And off the two went, hands held as they ran towards the next line, with Shuichi giggling. As Eiri and he went in the next cart, the writer had come to a decision that he loved that laugh. He could care less about the view his partner was awed about but he did, however, relish the different kind of panorama across from him. It was all like a dream, one of the many scenarios he had fantasized numerous times. One of the many he had thought he would never see happen. But here he was, spending time with the one he loved!

_If only…_

But Eiri didn't finish. Before he knew it, before he knew what he was doing, his body had shifted across the way to sit next to his date.

God, he loved those gorgeous, large, eyes looking only at him. Eir loved the way his teacher wound their fingers, clutching on to it tight as those lovely lips formed a smile. It wasn't the wild and wide grin like always, but the effects were the same.

His heart skipped the same beat, and Eiri just looked back with his sharp gaze, unable to look away. They were both unaware their cart was nearing the top of the wheel. Folding one leg beneath him, Shuichi leaned forward and touched their foreheads together, his free hand reaching to curl behind the teen's nape.

"Yuki-kun… you're always so nice to me… thank you," he whispered, eyes slipping shut as if he was drowning in the moment, almost just as much as his student.

Shuichi brought their twined fingers to his face, nuzzling the student's hand. But Eiri released the grip to turn his hand and caress the man's smooth cheek. Gently pushing Shuichi back against the wall of the metal confines, he whispered hotly,

"Shut up." And bent to capture Shuichi's soft lips with his own.

It had just been whispers of a kisses, both men lightly kissing, softly coming together and just as tenderly pulling away only to come back and repeat. Finally, when Eiri tried to pull away again and tease his love further, Shuichi's hand on his neck gripped him tightly and pulled him back in. What was originally a chaste meeting of the lips became a hot and insistent meeting of tongues. Pushing and tasting, the wet muscles mated back and forth across the two dark caverns they had only roamed once since that day a few weeks ago.

This time it was Eiri who moaned first. Something he had desperately tried to keep in but to no avail. Eiri's hands moved across Shuichi's body, one sliding down the smaller man's side while the other curled around the base of the teacher's spine and pulled smaller body closes to his own.

"Yuki…" Shuichi murmured huskily, as he pressed himself closer, willingly straddling the teen's lap. The teacher's slender arms came around Eiri and clutched him tightly, hands holding onto the student's head.

The two had been oblivious of the world, the universe seemingly belonging only to them. They had no need for anything, even air, open mouths making hungry and passionate love…

Until Shuichi was yanked free from Eiri's hold by an unknown force. The spell was broken. 

Startled, Eiri looked and saw that the ferris wheel had stopped. Someone had opened the door and had angrily pulled his lover away from him. A previously unknown force… but familiar, after all…

"It's time for you to go home, kiddo." The woman spoke harshly, and Eiri's eyes identified her as none other than Miyari.

Eiri didn't reply. His eyes only shifted to the man she clutched tightly in her grip. Shuichi looked back at him as if… as if longing for him too.

"I'm not leaving." Eiri snapped. "You have no right to tell me what to do." Dusting himself off, the student got up from the cart. He stalked past the unfamiliar man accompanying the woman then turned and faced them, adding, "Shuichi's coming with me."

"Ah…" Shuichi mumbled in soft amazement, "Yuki…" hurriedly he scrambled out of Miyari's grip and after Eiri, only to be stopped again.

"What are you doing?" Miyari asked, her voice having a stronger pull on the pink-haired man. "Do you know what you're doing? Are you even aware that… that boy--" she pointed to Yuki, "Is your student? Shuichi, what's wrong with you?!"

Eiri's saw the serious consideration passing across his Sensei's face.

"But I…"

_Why did he care what she thought?_

"Think about it, Shu." She pointed out, "What'll happen when you're caught? You're being careless! Why your student? It's all good that we're not together anymore but you have to provide for yourself now…"

Eiri tuned her out and continued staring at his date. _If he also truly liked me…he wouldn't care. But he does. Why?_

Disappointed, Eiri had hoped to make his getaway without being noticed but as soon as he moved a muscle, Shuichi sensed it and turned to him.

"Yuki? Yuki, where are you going?"

"Home," Eiri flatly replied and continued on his way. He had known it wouldn't be worth it after all.

"Yuki!" Shuichi called.

Miyari sighed as they watched the Eiri leave. She had prevented the teacher from going after the student, holding him back by the arm.

"Shu, why are you doing this to yourself? Haven't you hurt yourself enough? What about _her?_" Her hand slipped away from his arm, but she continued to speak though he didn't face her, "Shuichi, go home. To Hiro, and we'll forget this ever happened."

Miyari continued to stare at his back. Eiri had long gone but Shuichi kept looking at the path the teen had disappeared. It wasn't that she hated Shuichi, she's done a number on him too, cheating and lying, but this was beyond personal. Her worries dated back three years.

_"Shu, can you forget her?"_

Shuichi turned to Miyari, clutching the hem of his tank top, looking down on the ground, fumbling as he said, 

"Miyari… I think… _I think we should let dead people rest._ Don't stop me, don't come to me anymore, because I've found someone I want."

Miyari's brow furrowed.

"Please!" he begged, sparing one last look before disappearing into the crowds, running off in the direction his date had gone.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

_Yuki, Yuki, Yuki…_

"YUKI!" Shuichi screamed, pushing through the thick crowds. He could barely keep the blonde hair in sight, his lover was disappearing!

Shuichi stopped in his tracks, covering his lips…

"My lover…" he whispered. A grin appeared on his face and quickly he looked up, eyes focusing on the distinctive feature which made tracking the student a little easier, considering how short he was. He saw the younger man head down a nearby street and cross into the indoor parking area. Without hesitation, Shuichi's legs kicked up full force and he ran after the boy-- no-- his lover! His voice echoed in the parking garage, yelling over and over again,

"Yuki! Yuki"

Eiri sighed, continuing his steps as Shuichi's voice grew closer and closer.

"Yuki, please!"

Eiri's head ache was coming back, he could only have so much stress in one day. Considering how everything had gone rather well… The teen swore inwardly and shook his head, his free hand seeking warmth inside his coat pocket. Gods, why was he so damned on such a day? They'd been free to do everything and anything, this was their first date, so why was everything going wrong?

"You should go home," He stated coldly, without looking over his shoulder. Shuichi had gone silent as they neared his car. When they came upon the automobile and the figure was still there, Eiri gave a growl and a fiercer command, "I said go home!"

A sob broke out from behind him and the teen immediately noted that maybe he was having more of an effect than he'd have liked. He'd be damned if he would turn around to see.

"Yuki," The soft voice mumbled, hiding another sob, "Turn around and look at me." When he didn't, Shuichi's voice floated to him again, louder, "I said look at me! Your teacher wants you to look at him, dammit!!"

Eiri obeyed and immediately regretted it. He hadn't even known his sensei was capable of adopting such an expression, and what was more, he knew who had caused it: a certain blonde bastard.

Cigarette hanging loosely at the corner of his lips, Eiri watched those two violet eyes stare intently at him while overflowing with pearls of tears. His teacher's bottom lip, glistening and abused, was held bitten between Shuichi's small teeth.

"Are you… are you going to leave me here…?" Shuichi asked softly, his whole body shaking. "The truth is… the truth is I like Yuki-kun!" he finished on a shout.

Eiri blinked in surprise, his eyes widening with comprehension. Shuichi continued to cry, rubbing his eyes in the strangest way with his wrist and arm.

"I really really really like Yuki-kun," He sobbed, hiccupping between words like a love-struck high school girl going through rejection, "I just don't know what's happening, but I only like Yuki-kun and… and it's not allowed because I'm your teacher--"

Eiri's lover stopped crying when he felt a hand on his head. Dropping his wrists away from his reddened eyes, he looked up at his date, tears still pouring down over his cheeks.

"Stupid, stupid Baka," Eiri mumbled. "Stop crying, it's stupid." Shuichi stopped. "And why are you telling me about what is and is not allowed? It's like you don't think I know! That's also stupid!" Shuichi sniffed, relaxing as he watched a small smile play on Eiri's lips. "So stupid," Yuki insisted, raising a hand to cup Shuichi's cheek tenderly, "But I guess… it's a little cute."

Resisting the urge to sweep Shuichi up into another kiss, Yuki turned to the car.

"Let's go. I'll drive you home." But before he could open the door, his love's voice echoed,

"Yuki!" Quickly, Eiri turned around to see what could be so urgent. 

"What--" he began, but a 'shu-neko chibi' dashed happily towards him and jumped onto the unsuspecting man, arms wrapping tight, those soft lips he worshipped pressed against his. Eiri stared at his partner's closed eyes and, when those lips stayed pressed against his, he mumbled,

"Stupid brat…" Before giving up; He tossed his control to the wind, opened up and kissed back.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Eiri had failed to do as he had promised.

He had said he would bring the man back to his new apartment but instead they ended up back at the teen's suite apartment where the door opened briefly and shut with a soft click. They stumbled in clumsily and blindly staggered down the hallway, connected by their mouths as they clung hungrily to each other. Along the way, Eiri shed his jacket and pulled off Shuichi's, the teacher so disoriented the student could swear the man had become addicted to all the kisses they'd been sharing.

With both his hands gripping beneath Shuichi's thighs, Eiri heaved the smaller man up and against the wall, bending to trail open mouthed kisses along his lover's soft neck and chin.

If only Shuichi hadn't jumped on him so suddenly in the parking lot, if only Shuichi hadn't confessed to him, Eiri would not have felt this growing need, this unlike any before, which he could not control. Decided, unable to do otherwise, Eiri muttered into the kiss,

"I'm taking you tonight."

Shuichi nodded in the dark, kissing the younger man's temples. Gods, he loved the feel of being kissed by this man.

Eiri hadn't even been aware he'd said it again. The small light from the street that glowed through the blinds reflected in those violet eyes. Eyes which shone with trust, want and… lust.

Gods, Eiri felt like he was going to burst! Willing himself to move again, Eiri closed a firm hold on the smaller man's slender thighs around his waist, groaning as he felt his lover's groin digging into his stomach. He could feel Shuichi was just as hard as he was, and it made him dizzy with desire.

"Bedroom," the teen groaned, his teacher's face falling to bury itself in his neck, kissing and nipping lightly. Desperately, the teacher's fingers fumbling with the buttons of the teen's blue shirt.

Tossing the small weight in his arms onto the bed, Eiri shrugged his shirt off and let it flutter down ignored. Shuichi giggled as he bounced on the bed from the toss, a happy sound which cut off abruptly and melted into a gasp. Eiri watched those purple eyes fill with lust as they watched him descend upon his teacher. Crawling up along the bed to Shuichi, Eiri pressed the teacher back against the cloudy pillows, glad his lover couldn't take his eyes off of him. He pressed another kiss onto a blush-tinted cheek and whispered against the skin,

"You're dressed too much for what I'm going to do." Pulling back and kneeling between Shuichi's spread legs, he placed both of his palms on the man's stomach and sensuously ran it upwards, taking the red top and slowly working the straps off the teacher's shoulders before lifting it over the pink head. The clothing was quickly tossed aside. And Shuichi gasped, arching his back as Eiri bent his head to suckle on a flat breast, the other hand playing on the other nipple.

"Yuki!" Shuichi gasped, his legs closing and gripping tightly around Eiri's hips as the student settled fully between his legs. His hands tangled deeply into the blonde scalp, his hold on the tresses tightening as kisses were rained down on his stomach. The student's warm tongue dipped into his navel.

"Yu…ki…" Shuichi mumbled, drunk on passion, writhing erotically.

Eiri suddenly moved himself lower, both hands paused on Shuichi's hips where from there on down, was still clothed in tight black leather. He smiled inwardly, watching the growing hardness in the man's trouser-front. _Serves you right..._ He thought, dipping his head and sucking on Shuichi's right hipbone. Carefully, he settled the palm of his left hand over the bulge and rubbed it in gentle, circular motions, eliciting a throaty moan and a desperate whine.

"Teasing me all day with these outrageous trousers…" he growled. Having tortured his lover enough, the teen withdrew his palm and lips. Sitting up on his heels again, he grasped the trouser belt loops and firmly tugged the garment down. It proved to be hard to take it off just as he had thought, but soon the material itself ripped –unable to stand up against the teen's desire.

"Don't take your eyes off me," Yuki ordered, resettling himself prone on the bed to trail soft kisses down the man's thighs, showering one then the other. Shuichi's face reddened but he obeyed. His lover had said to watch and so he did, hitching himself up onto his elbows to swhile watching himself being bathed with kisses.

"Yuki, stop… stop teasing!" he whispered, vehemently as his cock stiffened even more.

Eiri pulled back again when Shuichi sat up. He was almost afraid that the older man was having last second regrets, but thankfully dismissed them when Shuichi's slender fingers reached down to the student's groin, quickly unzipping and sliding his trousers from his hips.

Shuichi moved forward, pushing the student back onto his heels, and arranging himself so that he straddled Eiri's thighs. Wrapping his arms around Eiri's neck and, quickly before his student could decide to tease him further, pressed their open mouths together. They began a new dance as Shuichi pulled his student down to him, falling back on the bed with the heavy weight.

Taking a handful of pink in his hands, Eiri pulled it down to tilt Shuichi's head back, chin up offering a smooth neck for kisses and licks. But Eiri wanted a special place to mark, and find it he would while distracting his love. Eiri thrust downward, pressing his erection down into the body beneath him, loving the way his teacher bucked back against him. Gods, he could barely wait to be swallowed up by the heat his Sensei could offer, but first came the marking…

"Yuki! Hurry… please!" Shuichi mumbled, thrusting upwards. Eiri's lips ran down the smooth skin of his teacher's neck.

"Not yet," he mumbled, finding a tender spot just beneath the collar bone. He gave the flesh a few preparatory licks then fastened his mouth onto the skin, sucking and nipping. He increased the pressure of suction when Shuichi moaned louder.

"Oh, Gods!" Shuichi whispered thrusting upward frantically, "Yuki!! It's so good… hurry!"

"No," Eiri succintly responded, lifting his head to admire the shape of his mark on his lover. Relishing it a moment longer, he looked up and into his sensei's face, which was filled with an expression of lustful want. Smirking, he thrust downward, hard, once more before stopping altogether and trailing his lips down along his teacher's neck waiting for the protest to come. Shuichi whined. Pleased, Eiri stopped before the cock presented to him, hard, red and weeping.

"Then come," He said cooly, licking the copious pre-cum dripping from the head, and his lips parted to take the stiff member into his mouth…

"Oh, Yuki!" Shuichi screamed, arching desperately. It was as though he had been unexpectedly plunged into Nirvana. He had never ever thought his Yuki would do that!

When Eiri bobbed his head again, Shuichi thrust up involuntarily despite his best efforts to keep still for fear of hurting the student but Gods, it felt good! The student sucked so passionately, a hand fondling his testicles and moving it in time with his head! Tightening his hold on Eiri's silky hair, he whispered frantically,

"Yuki! Yuki, I'm coming… I'm coming..!" and he did, spurting creamy white liquid into his student's mouth.

Lips locked, Eiri swallowed. Oh, he loved the sound of that voice screaming so loudly. He smirked inwardly, watching Shuichi arch up off the bed on his shoulders, head thrown back. Slowly, the teacher fell from the arch, languidly collapsing and bouncing off the bed, looking like he was stuck in paradise. Eiri lifted his head, licking up the escaping fluid from the corner of his mouth.

"You liked it?" he asked, rising up. Shuichi nodded, dazed still. Hooking an elbow below Shuichi's left knee, he parted the teacher's legs for easier access. Carefully, he licked three fingers of his right hand and reached down.

"Uh…huh…so…good…" Shuichi's eyes opened and locked onto Eiri when he heard a small chuckle, "Yu…ki?" Suddenly a shot of pain lanced up the teacher's spine and a small scream was ripped from the unsuspecting man's lips. Eiri froze immediately. Leaning forward, he lowered himself quickly onto the thrashing man and with his free hand held Shuichi's chin still. Intently, he looked into Shuichi's frightened purple eyes.

"Shh," he whispered soothingly, something quite out of character but nevertheless better than hurting the man he wanted. "Shh," he mumbled against Shuichi's lips, "I'm preparing you. The pain will pass." He allowed himself to be lowered when Shuichi's hands released the fisted the sheets and instead clutched at his shoulders.

"Yuki," the smaller man whispered, "I don't know what to do, I've never done this--" he grunted when another pain came. Eiri had added another finger in him.

Eiri nodded, lowering his head for the teacher to kiss as he pleased. Shu's whimpers of pain were replaced by moans and sighs within the kiss. Soon, he relaxed fully, all of the pain he had felt subsided and was replaced by stars dancing across his vision.

Slicking the way with his saliva, Eiri reached for that spot again…

"Ohh!!" Shuichi arched, thrusting his hips against the student's hand, "Aaah!! Yu- aah…uhhnng…"

"Shuichi, it feels good…yes?" Eiri pressed into the spot again, that which was making his man crazy and promised, "I'll push against it over and over again. Ready?" Shuichi could only nod as the body left his chest and knelt between his legs.

Lifting the leg hooked at his elbow even further, Eiri spread his teacher wide. With his other hand, he took his erection and slid it down the crevice of Shuichi's ass and to his anus. Rubbing his pre-cum into the opening, Eiri pressed forward and felt the tight muscle twitch. Despite the tightness, Eiri pushed past and the head of his cock disappeared completely, his shaft sliding in slowly. He couldn't help it, his eyes rolling back at the heat and pleasure.

"Ohhhh...! Yukiii…please…" And with a snap of his hips, Eiri was fully in, his large member fitting snugly in his teacher.

Shuichi's watery eyes burst fully into tears. He had never felt like this before, it was like he was about to burst but couldn't. His heart constricting and yet beating twice as fast, his whole body shaking. And there was something inside him, something moving in him that he had no control of but felt so good…. He watched Eiri's taut body heave, out of breath, body tensed as they both adjusted to the student's intrusion. When he caught Eiri's gaze, he closed his arms fiercely around the student and, throwing his head back, he demanded,

"Yuki! Take me! Please!" he felt the teen pull out and he continued, "Yuuukiii!"

Then it came. One swift movement which sent liquid fire shooting through his body, doused him in sensations he wanted to experience forever. Awash with powerful desire, he could not help but be awed by the thought that he had a part of his lover in him…

Drowning in ecstasy, Eiri took in the sight before him --it was priceless. None of his dreams could ever compare with this moment. He carefully observed his teacher's glistening skin, Gods, this is what he had wanted and would always want! He thrust deeply into the man beneath him, the tightness loosening only a fraction, not enough to leave the heat he loved. Just as he had promised, he angled himself and struck Shuichi's prostate over and over, a few times breaking rhythm to rub his cock against it in circular motions.

The bed creaked with their effort, the head of the bed thumping against the wall, the sheets beneath them becoming soaked with their sweat, the moonlight illuminating their mesmeric, forbidden, act. Yet Eiri continued to thrust, the body beneath him writhing sensuously and thrusting back. Without breaking stride, Eiri reached down and took his lover's neglected hardness and pumped it in time to his thrusts. 

"Godgodgod!" Shuichi yelled hoarsely, clutching at the man above him inflicting all this pleasure. "Uuu…ah…ahh…ohh!! Yuki, har-harder!" and when his command was obeyed, the pent up frustration, want and desire burst forth. It tore out of him with a scream, thick white liquid spraying over Eiri's hand and stomach, dripping down to Eiri's shaft.

The writer felt his Sensei's insides tighten, increasing the pressure on his erection. The heat and tightness became too much and with one last mind-blowing thrust, he arched against Shuichi and emptied all of himself, moaning a soft, "Shu…ichi."

_God, it was so good..._ Yuki thought, collapsing. Breathing heavily, he brought up his hand covered with Shuichi's essence and licked it clean. _This had better not be a dream._

Unlike the dreams he had, his teacher didn't disappear. The lithe body remained beneath him, beginning to have trouble breathing as Eiri's larger body continued to blanket it. With a last look at his lover's joyful glazed eyes, Eiri released Shuichi's legs and rolled to his side next to his lover.

"Mm?" Eiri voiced when one leg curled over his side and Shuichi's arms hugged his chest. Shaking his head, Eiri rolled them both a little further so that he could lie on his back and let Shuichi snuggle into his shoulder. After some maneuvering, he retrieved their fallen blanket and covered them both. Shuichi still insistently snuggled warmly into his chest.

"Yuki…" Shuichi whispered, hugging him tightly, "aren't we going too fast?"

Eiri's eyelids began to droop, "Mm." he mumbled back, grunting a little. He tightened his hold on his lover.

"But I don't regret it." Shuichi whispered, looking up at him and leaning up to kiss his lips, "…Do you?"

"No." There was no way he was _not_ answering that question, no matter how sleepy he was. Shuichi smiled, returned his head to underneath Eiri's chin and kissed the student's neck. His long eyelashes swept along the writer's skin, and Eiri knew he was falling asleep too.

"Good night, Yuki-kun."

"Mm…"

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

There was a scratching sound somewhere in the room, and Eiri was tempted to throw something at it, whatever it was.

Damn, the dream had been so good! How dare that… that _scratching_ awaken him. Sometimes, Eiri could just swear Buddha was making fun of him. Good thing he had never taken up becoming a monk. When the scratching sound continued, Eiri forced his eyes open only for his vision to focus on the blank space next to him.

_It was a dream…_

He was about to groan with the frustration of it when he was blinded by the light. Why the fuck was his lamp light on? When the teen blinked once more, everything blurry cleared, and soon he thought he could make out a figure. Something _pink…_

His eyes widened at what he saw, his teacher was there! His Shuichi-sensei was sitting on his desk, a red pen in hand, checking papers! And what was more was… it looked to be his own papers, the ones he'd left…

"Hey brat, shouldn't you be sleeping?" Eiri asked gruffly, lifting his head enough to glimpse the clock that said it was near ten thirty. "There's school tomorrow, you know." His brat turned to him with a light blush staining his cheeks, fingering the red marker as he replied cheerfully,

"Sorry, Yuki-kun! I couldn't help myself! Your essays are so good I just had to grade them!" The blush deepened, "Besides…I did give you these assignments as make up work so I know how I should grade them." And with that Shuichi swiveled the chair and returned to his work.

Eiri just lay there for a moment. Reflecting on this reality and thinking about how viciously he might _kill_ if he 'woke up' soon and found this was all really a dream. Yet, the moments ticked by, he woke up a little more and… it wasn't. Here he was with his man in the same room, his Shuichi wearing _his_ shirt and he glimpsed down at the torn leather trousers on the floor, the images of how he had pulled it from Shuichi's body coming to mind. His eyes didn't leave Shuichi's small form… _and then it hit him._

"Huh? Yuki? Where are you going?" Shuichi looked up when Eiri made to leave the room but quickly turned away when he saw the student was still naked. Eiri smirked, pausing in the doorway, tempted to tantalize the man more, but he couldn't just pass up this opportunity! Hurrying out of the room he called over his shoulder, 

"I'll be right back!" and entered his study, making his way to where his laptop was. Returning to the bedroom, he sat himself on his bed, still unrepentantly naked. He smirked over at Shuichi whose face was madly red, right down to his neck, and teased, "What? You want to join me?"

"Wh-what are you doing?" Shuichi asked when his student plugged his laptop to the nearest outlet. Eiri shrugged.

"Something important," Eiri muttered, booting the computer up. He watched Shuichi gather all the papers and head his way to plop down beside him on the bed.

"Okay!" Shuichi said perkily, "I want to stay next to Yuki then." He smiled up at Eiri, looking astonishingly happy and content. The expression on the teacher's face was simply mesmerizing… thankfully, the laptop beeped at him, a prompt for his password, breaking the trance.

"Whatever," Yuki mumbled, smiling a little as he bent to kiss Shuichi's tempting lips quickly, before pulling away with the decision, "We'll save that for later." He turned to his laptop and typed in his password, smiling to himself secretly at the tomato-faced sensei. "For now, I'm going to write my entry page for the CLA. So you keep doing what you were doing, alright?"

With an enthusiastic cry of assent, Shuichi twisted to lie on his stomach and resumed checking Eiri's papers.

Eiri watched Shuichi, maybe for longer than he really should have. Eventually, smiling a little wider to himself, feeling rather happy and pleased with everything in the world, he refocused his attention on his laptop and began to type,

CLA Entry Essay  
Author: Yuki Eiri  
Class 4, Senior  
Entry Title: Shining Collection

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

AN: Truthfully- this is my favorite chapter so far. Lol, well partly cause of the lemon. Haha. First off, congratulations! You've read over twenty pages of Microsoft Word!

Anyway, please do leave me reviews! I want nothing more and then I'll try to post the next chapter up as soon as possible! Anyways- I know some of you may be a little…you know, disappointed, whatever I did wrong 'I'm soooo sorry!!!! Oh- and my chicken if hungry again! He says 'FEED ME!' lol.

Anyways, lots of review have made me laugh more than what should be legal. So thank you everyone, because of you all and some of you with lengthy crazed comments, I've vomitted this chapter. Of course my beta Tsubaki had to clean up to make it better for you all!

Again- please do review! Merry (belated) Christmas and Happy New Years!

Much love, Iname


	9. Alright?

**AN: **

For those who've reviewed, many many wonderful thanks (Throws cookies at fanfictiondotnet users.) You're all so wonderful at telling me your thoughts I wish I could have millions of them! Most of them had me laughing until my parents would shout at me, but I don't care! You're all great readers and responders! (is that a word?)

For Gurabiteshiyondotnet, thank you too. I know this site hardly reviews anything that is slightly even HORRID unless if its really HORRIBLE and is deserving of flames. Lol. j/k. Please continue to review too? I have so many regulars and I love love love you all, do continue to give me and my beta support!

Much love to all my readers! You've all been the BEST of the BEST!

On to more things: Please go to my profile in fanfictiondotnet and read my special request if you have time! Who knows maybe you have a story you love and want me to read. I'm bored and I can't find anything around anymore!

Announcements: Chapter ten is 1/10th finished, maybe less, because it is LONG. I think- and hope it is, and my beta will have to take some time too to get it all fixed! However, I have a question- do you guys want me to update My Best Friend's Wedding or Best Lover? Or do you want me to continue Cold Play until it is thoroughly finish?

Anywho- sorry for the long rants- let's all grab a drink, clap our hands and welcome…..dun dun dun…CHAPTER NINE!

Much thanks to lovely Tsubaki!!!!

Chapter Nine: Alright?

The moment Eiri woke up, he smelled sex.

The heavy musk of the scent reminded him of his pink haired baka's passionate orgasm. The delicious thoughts sent the student rolling over to look over at the other side of his bed to see if his new lover was still there.

Note to self, he thought, _my_ baka…

Nothing could bring Eiri's mood down… that is, until he fully woke up and found the empty space next to him. Slowly, he blinked at the vacant space, before sitting up against the pillow. He stared at the tousled bedsheets and wondered if he was going crazy. The memories of lovemaking were fresh in his mind, his body felt satisfied… and he thanked the Gods silently that he was _not_ a loon when he glanced down on floor by the bed to see Shuichi's leather trousers lying…torn.

He smirked, feeling smug.

It took a quick look about the apartment for him to realize Shuichi had already left. It must have been _very_ early as it was now only six o' clock. He wondered for a moment where Shuichi had gone until he realized that his Sensei must have gone home. He was not pleased the teacher didn't call his apartment "home" anymore. It had been very nice coming back to Shuichi but as it was, Shu couldn't possibly teach without his teacher's guides and tools right?

But there was the nagging feeling that maybe, just perhaps, the man regretted their union last night.

Firmly telling himself to calm down and think rationally, he reflected upon the night before. He had enjoyed being inside his teacher, had enjoyed hearing Shuichi's loud voice indicate the teacher's response to him…but had Shuichi himself enjoyed it? Eiri surely hadn't heard any complaints but he remembered how forceful he had been, and it bothered him now he couldn't remember if he'd ever asked the man 'Are you alright?'

He shook his head. It had never been customary for him to do so…Idiot! Eiri reprimanded himself, slipping on his uniform.

Autumn was coming quickly and, as customary, everyone's uniforms would change for the winter. Girls would now wear white long-sleeved shirts, brown skirts together with matching brown vests and a striped necktie. Men, in turn would also don similar shirt, vest and tie in the same shades but with trousers. Of course dark purple blue was another choice for girls while men could put on blue as an alternate.

Eiri stared at himself in the mirror, checking over his appearance. He knew he'd stand out as brightly as the sun in the sky amidst all the other dark haired students unless he stuck with Americans. But that was a little drastic sort of measure for him to take. Disliking the formal look of his uniform, Eiri undid the top four buttons of his button-up shirt, took off the vest and loosened his neck-tie. The effect was still clean and polished, but much more relaxed.

Much better.

Besides, the teen wanted to look good just for his new lover… though no way in hell he'd ever admit. Yuki Eiri _always_ looked good anyway.

Now, placing aside his appearance concerns, he picked up his keys and headed down the building. It seemed strange, just as he closed the door, as though something nagged at him like he had forgotten to do _something_… It wasn't until he was halfway to school that he remembered he'd forgotten to change the sweat soaked sheets and orgasm stained blankets

Feeling oddly less fastidious than usual he smiled, self-satisfied… and a little victoriously.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Shuichi opened his eyes and looked at the clock, which read six-thirty.

Groaning aloud, he sat up in bed. He looked around and everything looked new, it was then he registered he was in his apartment, a small and quaint little place, unlike Eiri's and certainly decorated more according to his own personality. He supposed that since his student was rather reclusive, the boy's home wouldn't ever be… 'sparkly' --as his cousin had put it.

Sitting up against his pillows, he closed his eyes and allowed his mind to wander through memories of the night before. _Me…_ he thought, _me and Yuki…kun. We…He and I…_ Shuichi buried his head on the pillow, feeling as though he might cry. This was all so confusing. He felt strange… felt like last night had been the best and worst time of his life. Last night...

"Gods, Shuichi! So pathetic!" He told himself, bouncing up from the bed and padding over to his closet to fetch some clothes. He growled to himself, "You can't even think of saying I've had sex with…with…!! ARGH!"

Throwing his closet doors open, he rummaged around blindly. As usual, he dressed according to what he was feeling. But when he finished and looked up at himself in the mirror, wearing a horrific combination of purple and pink and poo colored green, he realized he was under more stress than he thought. He threw the clothes away yelling,

"I can't dress like this!" and immediately placed the offensive clothing in his 'for donation' box.

Lying nude on his bed, he threw an arm over his eyes and thought about how his student had treated him last night. Their activity had taken him aback. He had liked Yuki-kun, he would admit it…but he didn't know he'd like the student to the extent of…of…

"There you go again!" he exclaimed with frustration, sitting up. Already, he could feel the blood beginning to rush to his southern regions. Scrubbing at his already messy mop of hair, he hopped up to his feet. Pacing back and forth across his bedroom, he repeatedly mumbled a mantra of 'I won't think about what we did. I won't think about what we did. I won't--'

He turned back to his closet with renewed determination, continuing with his self-programming and did not stop until he finally found an acceptable outfit: a casual blue shirt, 'kumagorou' jacket and shorts that fell a little short before the knees. Inspecting himself again, he decided, _Yeah, I think this is presentable…_ He looked at his watch and knew he was already late…well, it's not like a few minutes would make any difference…but then his phone rang. Nearly jumping out of his skin, Shuichi hurried to the phone and answered.

"Hey Shu!" Hiro greeted, sounding weary. "Can you sub for my class today? I kinda… got drunk last night and have a horrible head ache today. Seguchi said he'd get Noriko to teach your first period, as long as you teach for mine."

"Oh, are you okay?" Shuichi perked up. Already his nose was very close to bleeding in excitement; he was going to see Yuki! "Hey, did Seguchi let you off that easy?"

"Easy?" Hiro chuckled, "You've got to be kidding! He's docking points off of my paycheck for every minute I miss, I don't think that's easy. And, yeah, I'm alright but my headache just won't go away so…okay? Will you substitute for me?"

"Oh… uh, yeah!" Shuichi replied quickly, snatching up his canvas tote bag and slinging it over his shoulder.

"Cool." Hiro seemed relieved. "Thanks Shu. Oh, and I should be at school later today but I don't know exactly what time. Speaking of which, aren't you late? It's like…seven-fifteen at least." Shuichi glanced at his clock.

"Shit!" he shouted, stumbling toward his shoes, telephone in hand. "Sorry, Hiro, I gotta go!! Rest well and take care of yourself!" And with that, he ended the call. He hopped on one foot while lifting the other to put on his shoes, then snatched his keys up and dashed out of his apartment.

Now… how was he going to handle seeing Yuki?

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Eiri jerked his head up suddenly from his seat backrest at the sound of the voice he'd been dreaming of.

"I'm sorry everyone!" Shuichi shouted, harassed, flinging the door open which slammed into the wall with a loud crash. Eiri was suddenly panicked, wondering why his previous teacher was here. Had they been caught? If not, then why was Shuichi here? What would they do to him for having sex with his teacher? What would they do to _Shuichi_ for having sex with a student?

But his worries were put to rest for the moment when Shuichi announced, "Your teacher, Nakano-sensei has a baad hangover, so I'm going to teach this class for today's first period!" It looked like Nakano-sensei wasn't really missed, considering how all the girls squealed with delighted surprise at this announcement.

"Shindou-sensei," a few of the happy girls called, "Welcome back! You have no idea how happy we are to have you here for today…"

_You have no idea, indeed,_ Eiri concurred. He kept his eyes on Shuichi as the man tried to calm his breathing, walking over to the desk and setting his bag down. The writer noted how the teacher's hair stuck out in all directions, the quiet panting and the sheen of perspiration over his smooth skin. Damn, the man looked… unbearably hot. Eiri shifted in his seat, swamped with the urge to charge for Shuichi and ravage him on the desk. That'd be quite a spectacle, he decided, swiping his tongue over his lips.

Eiri watched his man rummage about in Nakano-sensei's desk and pull out the attendance and schedule clipboard. "So now that I am here," Shuichi smiled at the class, "Good morning, class."

"Stand," the class monitor called, and in unison the students stood respectfully, bowed, and responded, "Good morning, Shindou-sensei!"

Even Eiri rose to participate. Sitting back down, he rested his chin on the back of his hand and, tilting his head a little to the right, sighed what he had come to call his 'infatuation-struck' sigh. He stared blissfully at the pink cherub at the head of the class, thoughts wandering.

There was something about knowing he had possessed this pink-haired brat that made him restless. Maybe it had something to do with how close they had become, the mind-blowing sex…? But instead of his 'obsession' being resolved as he had hoped now that he'd had a taste of the teacher, his attraction had only gotten even more intense. Everyone thought Shindou-sensei was cute, true, but Yuki Eiri was on a completely new level now. Three months ago, from the first time he'd laid eyes on the teacher, he had thought the man was cute –sexy, too, don't get him wrong.

But _now_ it was like… something haunted him. The way the substitute teacher swayed his hips as he walked mesmerized the poor student. And those long slender legs… smooth and hairless…Eiri smirked inwardly. _He_ should know. He almost got a nosebleed remembering how those legs had felt wrapped tightly about his hips as he had moved back and forth… back and forth.

Eiri shifted in his seat again, undoubtedly aroused now. In silent frustration, he tore his eyes away and looked down at his book trying to pull his thoughts back to the lesson at hand. But, Gods, it wasn't working… when was first period going to be over?!

As if on cue, the bell rang and the class quickly put down their writing tools. Most looked toward the front of the room, girls giggling softly as they watched their notably messy teacher haphazardly and rapidly shove all of his things at once into his tote bag.

"Um… ano, uh. Bye, class! Be good!" Before everyone could give the traditional response to send the teacher off, he dashed out the door. Eiri slumped over and let his forehead thump on his desk as the second period teacher entered the room. Now he had to wait another hour before he could see Shuichi again?!

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Dangerously, Eiri stalked down the hall, students rushing out of his way as usual.

It was so rare to see him like this, the one student who was usually the one being chased and not the one doing the chasing. In almost everything he did, he moved with grace and patience. In fact, any girl who had ever spent _quality_ time with him would be quick to say he almost always took his time… except when driving. One girl, however, dared to ignore the fire in his eyes…

"Hey, Yuki." Ariel greeted, draping an arm over his shoulder. Instantly, he stopped in his tracks and glanced over at her coldly. "Got time? I'm free tonight and my other friend is free tomorrow night. So how 'bout it?" She asked, eyes meaningful.

Eiri carefully took her hand off of his shoulder stepped away. Damn, it felt like he was trying to get rid of a clingy child.

"I'll set you up and I'll tell you, Anne's well praised by guys. What's more, she's not looking for long term relationships either." He remained silent and she took it as a positive sign, continuing, "Of course, I'd only do it if…" she neared his ear, "If you give me a good time. Ne?"

"Not interested," Eiri replied shortly, forcefully shoving the girl away from himself. With one last glare, he walked away.

_Damn bitches,_ he thought. These girls from his past never seemed to understand that once he had moved on, that was it. There would be no repeat performance. Why the hell were these women so persistent? There were days he loved his reputation, sometimes, it was nice to be given so much attention, but c'mon! Couldn't he just have a break sometimes and just walk towards his destination without being pounced by everyone he'd had very short relationships with?

Approaching his destination, Eiri slowed his steps. Seizing the door handle, he froze when he heard a soft noise…like humming…and…

_"Nigiyakana hitogomini tokeru Tsubuyaki ga…"_

The singing was soft, sincere, and it was making his heart beat fast. He remained still in the following silence. Not daring to move, Eiri waited patiently for the singing to resume. He knew immediately he'd just happened to witness a song being born when the sweet voice came again, completing the first verse,

_"Ashimoto ni chirabatta omoide nijimaseru…" _

Silence descended once more and, figuring the singer was probably distracted by the composition, Eiri decided he had to see who it was. When he peeked his head in the room, he had expected a student majoring in music or a group of music class kids sleeping except for one who was composing the song. Two things Eiri had _not_ expected to see was pink and…pink?!

It seemed to him that he was always walking in on Shuichi's most private moments. There had been that time Shu was having that fight with Miyari and Hiro, Eiri had been there. When Miyari confronted Shuichi in school, Eiri was there. And now, the teacher was composing a song, one that seemed… heartfelt and passionate… and here he was. He wondered if he might be the only student to ever witness Shuichi's singing, he had never heard anyone mention or gossip about the teacher's singing, and he had listened very carefully for anything to do with this man.

Leaning against the door jam, Eiri stared at the teacher who looked serious, for once, biting his lower lip, pencil in hand busily scratching off the wrong words and rewriting. It seemed to the teenager that his older lover was lost in the music, humming the same bars at different notes as though trying to decide how it should sound. Shuichi was so absorbed, the student went unnoticed. Eiri closed his eyes, also letting himself go, losing himself in the melody cast by his man's siren-like voice…

The humming continued for a time, and Eiri finally opened his eyes to watch. Finally, laughter from down the halls interrupted the moment, jerking Shuichi from his trance, pink hair flying about as he reflexively looked up at the doorway. The teacher started, blinking stupidly at the teen who stared back with a penetrating gaze. A small smile spread across Shuichi's face, excited and happy.

"Yuki-kun!" he cried softly, tenderly. Eiri could feel himself respond to the gentleness in his teacher's voice.

"Hey," he responded, stepping in and closing the door behind him. He advanced to stand directly in front of the teacher's desk then sat down on one of the students' chairs. Eyes still on Shuichi, he admitted, "I didn't know you sing."

Shindou-sensei blushed, "Um…I don't, truthfully. Just something…I picked up from Ryu."

"Sounded like it was more than that," Eiri said casually. Unfortunately, the other didn't offer anything to continue the vein of their conversation.

Eiri thought he could kick himself. He had figured that after last night they'd be closer than ever, but there was an awkwardness between them now, one that seemed to increase the space between them. He was not pleased, for once, to be the type unable to offer a subject to talk about instead. Never before had he been the one eager to keep a conversation going.

After what seemed like hours of gloomy silence, Shuichi faced the teen with his big trademark grin and chirped, "Hey! I have extra lunch with me today! You know Noriko-san or K-san like to take my food so I always make lots, anyway... I have fried fish, omelette, teriyaki and rice! Wanna eat…" the Sensei paused, blinking for a moment and suddenly blushing again as he finished, "…with me?"

Eiri was about to make a comment, a snide one, but when he opened his mouth, something different came out, "That sounds…nice."

Excitedly, Shuichi seized his bag and pulled out a large bento box the hurried over to sit near the student, pulling an extra table over for space. He set the layers of the box alongside each other, the various dishes spread out over the two desks.

"Open up!" Shuichi giggled, holding up a small piece of egg with his chopsticks and raising it to Eiri's lips. "Say ahhh."

"What the--" Eiri began but as soon as he opened his mouth, Shuichi skillfully slipped the chopsticks into his mouth. How embarrassing! He felt like a baby being fed by a mother…

Or a lover being fed by…

"Yay! Another?" Shuichi asked, taking a piece of teriyaki meat this time.

"Hell, no!" Eiri snapped then clamped his mouth shut when Shuichi tried to feed him again. Disappointed, the teacher fed himself instead slouching over in his seat with a pout.

"Mou I'm only trying to feed you! I bet you didn't eat this morning," The older man grumbled, shoving a huge piece of riceball into his mouth, and sucking on the chopstick tips a moment later as he chewed. Yuki's mind dizzied over knowing it was the same chopstick he had been forced to use. Shaking his head, the student snatched up the second pair of chopsticks and began to take his share of the food.

He didn't particularly enjoy eating, to him, it was just a necessary function… but somehow he was rather pleased with dining on Shuichi's cooking. He thought of that little quote which said, 'hunger is the best spice' which meant that one who was hungry would enjoy the food better. Was it just because he was hungry that he was enjoying this so much?

_God you sound like a moron._ Yuki thought, his eating pace quickening, _I'm eating because I'm hungry. That's all. _

When he had finished, he looked up. On his sensei's face was a rather sober expression, one he had thought never suited his happy and colourful teacher. Eiri preferred to see the usual goofy grin.

"What?" the student demanded, wanting to know what it was that brought about the sudden personality change. He briefly wondered if he had done any wrong but couldn't think of anything.

Shuichi smiled thinly, brows meeting briefly. He let out a small breath and whispered, "Yuki-kun, about last night…"

Eiri leaped up from his seat, interrupting the teacher's words; that was all he needed to hear. From that face Shuichi wore and the tone of the man's voice, it did not sound like the teacher was about to deliver a cheerful message. If his sensei was going to break things off with him so suddenly, just a day after they had consummated the pinnacle of their attraction, then he and not Shuichi was going to be the one walking out first.

"Thank you for the food," he said flatly, moodily, and began to walk off.

Shuichi followed a step before calling, "Yuki! No-- listen to me!" but he wouldn't and as the younger man approached and opened the classroom door, a hand shot forth and held him back by the wrist.

Eiri felt Shuichi putting all his weight backwards to anchor the teen back. Giving up, he turned himself around and waited for what he expected would be the biggest rejection of his life. Of course, it didn't come as quickly as he thought it would but he silently waited, staring back at Shuichi… who looked like he was on the verge of tears.

"Hng…Yuki…" Shuichi began sobbing, his hands wiping away at the moisture gathering at the corner of his eyes, "I…"

Eiri watched how the teacher's lips trembled and at how those lavender eyes looked at him, realizing that Shuichi was unable to reject him… was not rejecting him. Waiting, uncertain but hopeful, he caught how the teacher's eyes narrowed determinedly at him before, jumping up, Shuichi latched onto his shoulders. Suddenly, Eiri found the softest velvety lips kneading against his...

Instantly, Eiri reacted. He lowered his head so that the teacher would not be standing on tip toes, wrapped his own arms around Shuichi's small body and pulled the little man fiercely against himself. Angling his head, he deepened the kiss, allowing his lover's gangly arms to wrap around his head, fingers digging into his golden locks. He slid a hand down the teacher's slim back, reaching lower until he could cup his hand around that pert little ass…

"Ah! Ahh…Yu--" Eiri silenced him, pressing another hot kiss to his lips. Shuichi was maddened, he pushed the student's jacket off his shoulders and Eiri let the thing slip off, one arm at a time. He refused to let the teacher go completely.

"Oh!" he gasped when Eiri suddenly pressed their bodies together to allow their arousals, heated and pressing against their trousers, to rub gently against each other.

Eiri's hands both glided to and fastened onto Shuichi's waist and kept the teacher still while he gyrated his pelvis, erections rubbing seductively together. Feeling his lover shiver, he instantly acknowledged that Shuichi was afraid he would be taken by the teen right then and there. As much as Eiri wanted to, he wasn't solely there for the sex… at least not in the moment, and immediately ceased his teasing.

Instead, he set his left hand to rest on the smaller man's waist, reaching up with his right to caress Shuichi's cheek. He concentrated on giving the man what they were both addicted to… kisses.

Eiri moved his tongue against Shuichi's, pushing against it bit by bit applying less and less pressure so as to lead it back into his mouth. He allowed Shuichi to explore his mouth, allowed himself to taste the riceballs, omelette, teriyaki and that tinge of strawberry before invading his lover's mouth.

After a few more minutes of exploration and accelerated heart rates, Eiri slowly pulled away. It was getting to be too much for his self-control and even Shuichi followed instinctively, lips still reaching for him.

He watched Shuichi's eyes open slowly, glazed… and refocus suddenly on something over his shoulder. Eiri saw the change instantly as his lover's dazed eyes suddenly cleared then widened, looking past him with a gasp.

When Eiri turned, he saw his teacher, his _real_ teacher, Nakano-sensei, standing in front of the open door, with his helmet in hand. Gray eyes wide, lips dry and a look on his face… there was a hint of fascination and awe, but there was also anger and disgust. It was clear he had seen their act.

A little dazed, he whispered, "I need to talk to you, Shu." Then he turned and walked down the hall, clearly expecting to be followed.

"Shuichi?" The teacher stumbled and Eiri caught him, pulling him close. The teacher pressed his fingertips to Eiri's lips, making a 'ssh-ing' sound before leaning up to press a kiss to the corner of the student's lips.

"The bell's about to ring, go back to your room okay?"

"Shuichi--" Eiri attempted again but was stopped once more. He wanted to ask what was going to happen now that they were caught, he wanted to voice his worry… but… but that wasn't his character. Not really. The sensei seemed to read his mind and smiled warmly before fetching and handing his jacket back.

"Go Yuki. It'll be alright." and walked out of the door. The way he left with his shoulders sagging, Eiri doubted it.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

"Hiro, wait!" Shuichi called, running out the school entrance after his best friend.

Shuichi loved Hiro as a brother… he always had. Seeing Hiro like this, dazed out of his mind, he couldn't help but painfully sob at the thought that Hiro might hate him now for this. "Hiro," he mumbled, catching up to him and silently slowing to a walk behind him.

When they turned a corner, Hiro stopped and turned to face his pink haired colleague. He asked in a low voice, "Shuichi, are you having an affair with your student?"

Shuichi's cheeks turned red as he looked down on the ground, "I…Hiro…he-he's not my student--"

"Cut the crap, Shuichi!" Hiro shouted, taking a threatening step towards him. Ashamed, Shuichi felt like he just wanted to disappear. Hiro continued at a lower volume, "Shuichi, what are you thinking? A kid? He's four years younger than you _and_ a student. Not to mention a-"

"Yes! I know! I know he's a boy." Shuichi said, sobbing a little.

Hiro's gaze softened and he attempted to touch Shuichi but the man recoiled away from him. A look of sadness crossed Hiro's eyes and, composing himself, he asked, "Is this what's been going on Shu?"

Shuichi looked up at him, confused.

Glancing away, Hiro murmured, "Shuichi, I know that you grieve for her. Contemplating how you wouldn't be alone right now if you'd done things differently in the past. And I'm sorry," he sighed, took a breath, and continued, "I know this partly my fault for not being there enough, for allowing you to run away… but…" Turning back, he placed a hand on Shuichi and pulled the smaller man close, hugging him tightly and whispering, "This is too cruel, even for you."

"Huh…?" Shuichi replied baffled over his best friend's words.

Hiro pulled back and stared at him in the eyes, "Shuichi, don't play with that boy."

What are you saying…?

"Don't think of him as a replacement. He's different. Is that what you want? To hurt Yuki-san?"

Hurt…Yuki…? NO!

"Shuichi everyone will know sooner or later. You'll be hurt and Yuki also. And quite possibly, _it_ might happen again."

Urgently, Shuichi raised his head, tears pouring from his eyes, "Hiro, I--" but he choked on his words. He couldn't think of what to say as he looked in Hiro's eyes. Then it dawned on him, all the trouble they would be in and the scandal they might have created… and realization hit.

_Why am I really having a relationship with him? I… don't I like Yuki? Well, I do! I… really really really like him… Don't I?_

"Hiro, I--" he tried again but Shuichi stopped, biting his lower lip instead. He allowed himself to be enveloped in his friend's tight embrace.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Utterly distracted from the lunch time events, Eiri failed his surprise quiz… badly.

It took him half the time they were given for the test to realize that he was writing 'what's going to happen?' over and over again on his half sheet paper before realizing what he had been doing. At the discovery, he was so annoyed he set to erasing _everything_ including his answers. To top it all off, he couldn't concentrate at the teacher who was lecturing them at the front of the room.

Surrendering, Eiri silently lay his head down in his arms and hoped for the best.

When the bell rang, the students eagerly rushed out, happy to be set free from their daily prison. It took no longer than a few minutes for the rooms and halls to empty, the sounds of noisy students fading quickly. Eventually, Eiri opened his eyes and sluggishly began to collect all of his notebooks before heading for the door. He was hoping to visit Shuichi…

"Yuki-san."

Eiri looked at the man who blocked the door, who towered over him by but a centimeter but didn't respond.

"It's best if you didn't pursue him." Hiro said clearly, walking past him and taking a seat on his desk. He did not need to clarify who 'he' it was in question. It didn't appear to bother him that the student hadn't turned to look at him and he continued, "Shuichi… is very delicate. He's not an average teacher, do you understand? I can't have a student like you leading him on."

Eiri looked down at his feet, his hold on his bag tightening. How dare this man presume to judge him? Through gritted teeth he said, "How are you certain that I'm not serious? He's not my teacher, and he doesn't control my grades anymore." He looked up and met Nakano-sensei's eyes. "I have no reason to have an ulterior motive."

"There are other things, and not just grades, which you may be using him for. Whatever your reasons are, I don't really care." Nakano-sensei narrowed his eyes at the student. "Simply speaking, I would never let anyone or anything hurt him. Do you get me?" The teacher picked up a piece of chalk and began writing the next day's lesson plan and continued, "Have you thought how much it'll hurt him when everyone finds out? Shuichi is a carefree guy, do you think he'll be able to handle all the stress it would put on him?"

Eiri headed for the door.

"You should break it off with him."

But Eiri ignored him.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

It could've been worse, Eiri decided. Nakano-sensei hadn't throw a tantrum and, by the way he acted, it didn't seem like he was interested in the least about reporting them. It could have been worse…

Eiri tapped the steering wheel of his car as he waited for the green sign to replace red, and glanced idly out the car window. He just so happened catch sight of a familiar brat getting on the city bus.

'Break it off with him.'

But how could he? He'd spent hours, weeks, and months of scheming to get close to the man, to get the privilege of running his hands over the brat's hair. It had taken a lot just to go out with Shuichi and now that he had all of it in his grasp, people just expected him to drop it?!

_But he is right,_ a voice whispered in his ear, _Shindou sensei is different. He's not capable of handling all the stress this could put on him! God, he'll go nuts with all the parents nagging at him, the media, the principal and the school board committee…_

There was a lot at stake here. Pondering that, Eiri shifted gears and turned to follow the bus.

Carefully, Eiri watched where Shuichi got off then made sure to park quickly yet keeping himself out of sight. He followed the teacher down an empty street, keeping a few feet behind, grateful that the brat seemed distracted and remained unaware of his surroundings. Shuichi unwittingly led the student into a building complex where, unlike Eiri's residence, definitely looked to be made for people of middle class-earning.

Shuichi stepped into one of the elevators and Eiri fell behind as the doors closed. Watching what floor the light stopped, Eiri made a mental note then took off towards the stairs, so excited that he found himself out of breath by the time he arrived at the fourth floor. There, he took the time to look around. He noticed that the carpet looked well-cleaned, the surroundings were well-kept and there wasn't any noise. Refocusing, he suddenly realized he didn't have a clue as to which one was his sensei's apartment. He shrugged, picked a random door and knocked.

Luckily, when the door opened, there stood Shuichi.

"Yuki-kun!" the teacher greeted, staring with surprise at the student before him. He wiped away his 'I saw a ghost' look before smiling and opening the door a little wider in silent invitation, exclaiming softly, "What are you doing here? You surprised me!" Eiri blinked and mentally berated himself as he stepped inside… Perhaps he should have planned what to say before he followed the man…?

"Yeah," he mumbled, looking his teacher as the man shut the door. Shuichi wore a large red shirt that fell just short of his knees. _God you look hot!_ Eiri thought, before slapping himself mentally. This was not the time to ogle the man, dammit!

"Hey come on in!" Shuichi said happily, turning from the door and leading the teen into a chaotic-looking living room. There were clothes strewn about the floor, over furniture and even hanging off of the ceiling fan. How could his sensei live like this?! Then there were speakers, a synthesizer and a guitar in one corner of the room, but at least that section seemed relatively clear.

"It looks like you're not done settling in yet," Eiri commented, hopeful that this was not a _normal_ living condition for his teacher…

"Huh? Oh no, I'm done…" So much for hope. Shuichi pushed a pile of clothes out of the hallway to let Eiri pass. "I find things easier when it's like this." He gestured to the messy room with a touch of pride, then turned to smile blissfully at a frowning Eiri. Turning, he led his student to the kitchen which seemed to be the only place where everything was put in its place. "Tea?" he asked, opening a cupboard.

"Uh…yeah." Yuki replied, taking a seat on a stool by the kitchen table.

"So… _why_ are you here?" Shuichi asked. He seemed nervous though he laughed jauntily before saying, "Don't tell me you're here to break up with me?"

Eiri looked away. Taking a deep breath, he said softly, reluctantly, "Actually, yes." He frowned, "Kinda…" He wasn't feeling too sure of himself when, after all, he still wanted a relationship with Shuichi. He was only doing this because _Shuichi_ might not be able to handle things. He watched for his sensei's reaction --who was still smiling.

"Oh…" Then suddenly Eiri's words registered and he dropped the kettle and shouted, "_What?!_" Hurriedly he forgot what he was preparing, whirled around to face and run to Eiri, who nervously backed himself against the table. The teacher yelled, "But I don't want to break it off with you!"

At least he hasn't started crying.

Eiri closed his eyes, blocking his view of the hurt and confusion in his teacher's eyes, and shook his head. "Look you, it won't work. We should have known this before we got to this point." He paused, opened his eyes and looked at the little man before him. Gently, he ruffled Shuichi's hair, "Looks like stupid has affected me as well."

To his surprise Shuichi didn't cry his eyes out as he usually did when small things went wrong, he didn't even scream! Instead, a small, very determined little smile settled on his petal lips. Shuichi slowly reached out and grasped both Eiri's hands, pulling the student to his feet and leading the way to the next room which, thankfully, looked better than the rest of the apartment. Problem was, for Eiri's will-power, it was the bedroom.

Desperately, Eiri anchored himself in the doorway. He was not certain he could maintain self control in _there…_

"Yukiii" Shuichi whined, cute little pout in place, pulling the teen from the doorway and into the room. He sat Eiri down on the foot of the bed then took a seat next to him, tucking one leg beneath himself and leaning a little towards the student. "Yuki, you like me don't you?" he asked, reaching over and closing both his little hands on Eiri's shirt-front. When there was no reply, he leaned up and kissed Eiri's cheek then softly muttered, "Well you must like me a little if you slept with me..." a small blush crept across his face which Eiri found hard to resist.

"So?" Yuki husked, turning toward the persistent brat and placing his hands on the man's waist. Feeling the heat of Shuichi's body through the clothes was proving to be too much and he leaned down to kiss his lover's neck, not really paying attention to what the teacher was saying anymore.

"Well, I really like you and a little more--ah!" Shuichi interrupted himself to gasp aloud when his lover unexpectedly pushed him over onto the bed. He raised his arms when Eiri pulled his shirt upward, and began to squirm when the student bent to lavish kisses on his chest, one hand teasing his left nipple. "Hnnngk!! Yukiii…don't!" but Eiri ignored him, didn't reply and moved to begin nipping at the other nub.

Backing off, Eiri sat back on his knees between his teacher's spread legs. _You like me, huh?_ he thought, dipping his head and tonguing Shuichi's navel, relishing the noises and feel of his teacher twisting beneath him in pleasure.

"You really like me and what..?" he prodded, sadistically continuing to lavish the teacher's body with attention. He slid one hand down to explore the dips and rises of Shuichi's hipbones. Shu, eyes closed and breathing ragged, arched into his lover's touch.

"I…um, I- Yukiiii! Don't t-tease!" Willing his arms to move, he buried his hands in Eiri's golden locks and pulled the student's face upwards to join their lips.

Eiri lowered his lower body on the man's and began a steady, teasing rhythm with his hips, moving his pelvis up and down and in circular motions. While the teacher was distracted, he loosened his tie and dropped it off the side of the bed. He let Shuichi unbutton his shirt, loosing a breath or two when his lover's small hands made contact with his nipples and played with them, pushing Eiri further into losing control.

Shuichi mewled with protest when the student pulled away again, but he relaxed when Eiri sat up and spread his legs. The pink of Shuichi's face deepened watching Eiri's clever writing hands pull his briefs down, stretching the cloth a bit as he pulled them down his thighs and to his knees, trapping his legs together.

"Shit," Eiri cursed, stopping movement altogether.

"Yuki?" Shuichi asked, confused, expression worried. "What's wrong?"

"We don't have any lubrication," the student mumbled.

Shuichi stared at him for a moment then a small giggle escaped his lips. He tried to keep it in but it finally burst forth in all out laughter echoed in the room. Eiri's face reddened a little.

"Shut up!" The student snapped. "Fine, do you want this to hurt then?" he shouted at the laughing imp, turning away. Never had fun been made of Yuki Eiri when it came to bed, but alas this time he really did deserve it. _If I had known he was this horny I would have brought something with me!_

"Hey, Yuki, turn back to me please?" Shuichi asked, smiling. Grumbling, the teen complied, coming back to face Shuichi who ignored the suspicious expression on the student's face. He removed Eiri's shirt, eyes never leaving that wary gaze as he took away the student's pants and dropped it off the edge of the bed. He kissed Eiri's chest and purred, "It's okay…" then lowered his head and took Eiri's arousal into his mouth.

It had been so unexpected that it took all of the student's control not to come then and there. He'd never expected to get a blowjob from Shuichi! Sure it had been in his fantasies more than oft-- but… Gods, he couldn't think straight anymore…

"Mm…" Eiri moaned quietly, his hands flying to grab the man's head and keep him still. He was going to come if he his lover's head bobbed like that again! However, though he had managed to stop Shuichi's head movements, his tongue was another matter… Shit, it was just so good! He reflexively lifted his hips toward Shuichi's mouth. Damn, he had thought Shu was a virgin, but then why the fuck was this blowjob so good?!

When Shuichi detached himself from Yuki's aching sex, he raised himself on his knees and kissed the disoriented student.

Taking advantage of the pause, Eiri tried to rein in control and pulled himself together. The kiss was all he needed to collect himself, and he reasserted himself, taking domination. Rolling over, he pinned Shuichi beneath him. He was all lubed up now but he needed to stretch his partner out. Licking three fingers of one hand he reached down…

Shuichi sharply took a breath when he felt an invasive pain shoot up his spine. Oh, it hurt so much! He wasn't used to this, and as if Eiri read his mind the younger man swooped down and sealed their lips together. There was no grinding, or further probing, just pure and unadulterated kiss. Just the way Shuichi loved it.

"Yuki…" he whispered, relaxing, spreading his legs further to welcome Eiri's probing. He reached up and smoothed the fingertips of his hands over the student's emotionless face and whispered, "Please Yuki. I want you… I want you."

Poising himself at Shuichi's entrance, he paused to watch the man beneath him continue to dreamily caress his cheek. He wanted the man to be satisfied his desire to touch him.

"Yuki, please," he begged, "Please don't break up with me."

Eiri flinched at the words. He bent and kissed the man softly, murmuring a soft, "Baka." before entering in one swift push.

Shuichi's scream echoed loudly in the room, the pain in his voice holding Eiri still. As he waited for his lover to accustom to his invasion, Eiri bent and gathered Shuichi to him, bathing the small form with kisses they were both so fond of. This would be their second union and Eiri wanted it to be as pleasurable for his partner as possible –better if more so than for him. Then Eiri remembered something…

"Alright?" Yuki whispered, it wasn't what he had originally wanted to ask. It wasn't a complete 'Are you alright?' but that one word just meant that he cared whether Shuichi knew it or not. His lover gave him an encouraging smile, held him tightly and kissed him, before pushing against Eiri to start the rhythm, moaning a repeated mantra of, "Yes. Yes, yes…"

Control slipping away as he listened to Shuichi's loud pants and moans, Eiri thrust rhythmically. He didn't break stride even when he saw brightly colored stars bursting in his vision as they both approached their paradise. He watched through half closed eyes, the way his lover's face contorted into the most pleasurable expression. Inhaling the scent of joining between them, Eiri savored the stinging pain of Shuichi's soft fingers digging their nails into his shoulders, legs wrapping tightly about his hips, and the sound of the man's desperate cries.

"Yuki! Please! _Please!_" Shuichi yelled in ecstasy, tears slipping down his cheeks as he neared completion. He relished the feeling of his lover pounding into him again and again, arching himself higher and higher towards release. He reached for Eiri and pulled his lover down on himself, loving how Eiri continued with their frantic movement, listening to the student grunt with the effort of pulling out and thrusting in.

Eiri growled, angled his head and bit Shuichi's neck then licked until he knew a mark would form.

"Ah- ah- ahhh!" Shuichi cried, he was close… just a breath away.

Carefully licking a path from Shuichi's neck up to the ear, Eiri whispered, "Come with me… Shuichi." and thrust his very being and fiber into the man, hitting that patch of nerves within his uke that would give the most pleasure. Pounding mercilessly, completely out of control with the pleasure, he came.

Shuichi lost his breath, what was that feeling? It was like he released all of his stress out, but what he felt was something else entering. A feeling he'd never…never felt, and his body…his body was shaking so hard. With a loud, primal cry of lust, his vision blurring, Shuichi surrendered. As he gave himself over to the pleasure, he wondered if he was going insane with it…

Slowly both their heaving breaths evened out. Eiri opened his eyes and looked down at the happily dazed man beneath him. The exhaustion was showing on the teacher's face, his body still shivering. Pressing a gentle kiss to Shuichi's lips, the teen waited for himself to soften before attempting to pull out. He needed a cigarette badly, but then again he liked where he was just fine. Eventually he withdrew, shifting to rest beside his lover and before he could move to get off the bed, his lover's raspy voice cut the silence.

"Yuki, sleep with me," an arm reached out and coaxed him back to bed. When Eiri lay back, his brat wrapped an arm around him and threw a leg slowly over his naked body, and murmured, "Rest with me." Shuichi shifted so that his chest rested on the teen's strongly built frame, burying his head on the joint where the neck met the shoulders he mumbled, "Don't break up with me…alright?"

Curling a possessive arm around his lover, Eiri inhaled the scent of their lovemaking, watching Shu's eyes close completely and mumbled, "I won't."

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

"I considered it Hiro," Shuichi said, lowering his eyes to the ground, "and I realized, it's been so long, things like this don't happen anymore. People can only love once y'know."

Hiro picked apart a fried fish before looking away from his food and to his best friend sitting next to him, "Shu, do you love him?" he held the purple gaze like his life depended on it, willing for them not to slide away so that he would get an honest answer.

"What is love?" Shuichi asked almost philosophically, reaching into Hiro's lunchbox for a riceball, "If I'm always thinking about him, if I'm comfortable around him and if I want him…then I guess I do love him. If I can say I really really like him, then I guess I do." Shuichi looked off into the distance and on a low voice said, "If he asks me if I love him and… and I'm willing to say it then I guess so."

Hiro took a sip from his canteen and leaned against the school fence, looking down at the conversing kids on the courtyard below, "But you're not saying it. You haven't told him."

"Hiro," the small man swiftly said, "when the time comes I'll tell him. Tell him… that I love him."

Shaking his long hair, Hiro knew when that when Shu started talking like this to him, it had to be serious. Shuichi wasn't one to throw the word 'love' around lightly… and the baka friend of his was right, people truly love rarely in a lifetime.

"Okay," Hiro acknowledged, sipping again from his canteen, "I won't hold it against you."

Shuichi stared at him quietly, blinking in confusion. Then his eyes began to tear up as he bubbly asked, "Really? Really, Hiro? You're not mad? That-that I like him a lot? That he's a guy? That he's a student? Hiro? Hiro? Hiro, answer me!" Shuichi had stood up and was bouncing in place with his excitement. Hiro realized how much his opinion mattered then.

He chuckled, "No. No I won't. Love doesn't discriminate. It doesn't matter who it is." With a smile he added, "_She_ already said that to you once upon a time right? So who am I to say otherwise? As I recall, her word is law to you."

The bubble gum haired man giggled, and snatched up another one of Hiro's riceballs. "Yay!" he cheered. "But are you…are you…" he stopped, shoulders slumping and his excitement melting away.

Another chuckle broke out and Hiro patted his head playfully, "No. I won't tell anyone."

Happiness re-building, Shuichi took a breath, but before he could speak, the door to the rooftop banged opened and the oh-so-familiar blonde Yuki Eiri with his trademark frown called, "Hey you baka! I thought you said a few seconds? If you're gonna make me wait all day for my lunch I'm gonna leave!"

Hiro watched his best friend hurry over to his young lover, crying out, "Wah! Yuki don't be mean, I want you to meet Hiro!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah…" Yuki replied dismissively, grabbing Shu's arm then dragging him toward the stairs, "Now come on."

When Shuichi had disappeared ahead of him, Eiri stepped through. He reached for the door handle, looking back and meeting Hiro's intense gaze with one as sharp. Without even a nod of acknowledgement, he slammed the door shut, disappearing after his sensei.

Hiro blinked as he reached for a riceball, "Geez, what a prick," he mumbled. He was about to grumble some more on the student's rotten attitude when something else, equally crucial, stopped him. Realization dawned on him and he shouted, "Dammit Shuichi! YOU ATE ALL MY RICEBALLS!"

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

**AN: There you go! Chapter Nine! Hope you enjoyed- I most certainly did after my Beta Tsubaki fixed it all! It took her longer than the usual because I'm such a screw up and giving her worse papers one after another. ARGH! I wish I was a genius at English- and Math! **

Truthfully I wasn't planning to put another lemon, but then Tsubaki (my BETA MY BETA!) asked, "Why not?" and I couldn't answer so I did!!!!!!!!! WOOOHOO!

Hm, flames? Hate me? Want to virtually stab me? Requests? Questions (that I probably won't answer for fear of giving too much info)? Suggestions? Demands?

Email me at: PM me, or simply review and rant!

You see, the thing is, I can't divide my attention very well- so I'll let the readers decide!!!! My Best Friend's Wedding or Is it My Best Lover?' readers, please share your comment to me!

I'm working on the next chapter and I think it's going to be a long long long long one- so I need lots of support from you all- onegaishimasu?


	10. Glowing Psychic

AN: Sorry sorry sorry for the late late update! I totally goofed because I couldn't get enough ideas, and I kept erasing and erasing one idea after another. So anyways, here's my next chappie. So please, do enjoy this one? Oh, don't forget to read the end reviews!

Tsubaki! Thank you so much for trying hard despite all your schedules. I'm learning more and more from you every time we talk. Thank you thank you! (Throws cookies).

And Here! (Throws Cookies at readers.) Enjoy!

--

Chapter 10: Glowing Psychic

--

"Where is Shuichi?"

Hiro looked up from tuning his guitar and toward the class 3-7 doorway. There stood a very irate, impatient and yet still cool-looking Yuki Eiri, one hand on the door jam and the other swiping back his damp golden locks. They exchanged hard looks before Hiro considered him, shook his head and said,

"I don't know." Turning back to his guitar, he commented shortly, "I've been waiting for him, too."

Yuki seemed unfazed by the teacher's subtle hints of distaste and remained standing in the doorway for a moment longer before finally saying, "I haven't seen him since… Monday. If you see him, could you tell him I'm looking for him?"

"Sure." Hiro replied, shrugging as he grinned smugly up at the aspiring writer, "High maintenance relationship, isn't it? He's always so difficult to keep track of; might be running wild with a few of his students."

"I've already asked around," Yuki said, bowing a little stiffly to his sensei then leaving the classroom.

Monday, Hiro mused, idly strumming his instrument. Supposedly, the lovers haven't seen, talked, or spent time together since Monday and it was Friday now.

With a sigh, Hiro set his guitar aside, tucked his hands casually into his pockets and strolled out of the classroom. As he walked, he considered the teacher and student relationship.

No matter how much he disliked Yuki, he still had to give the boy credit for trying to keep his relationship together with one pink haired teacher. Well, he was partially to be blamed for why Yuki hadn't seen his lover for five days, not that he would admit so to the student. It wasn't that he wanted to keep them apart! He was against their relationship, but he wouldn't force them to separate.

No, the reason he'd been lying and had just lied to the teen was because Shuichi had asked him to.

Hiro stopped when he heard a distant humming coming from one of the rooms on the second floor. Instantly recognizing his best friend's voice, he wandered away from the stairs and made for the source of the sound. He should have known Shuichi would be in the music room, he haunted the place any time it was empty. So absorbed was the little teacher, he didn't notice Hiro come into the room.

"You know, avoiding the person you said you really love...doesn't really convince me you feel that way Shu." he interrupted.

"Hiro!" Shuichi gasped, spinning around to face his best friend and knocking a set of drums to the floor, eyes wide and startled. His pink hair swirled about his face, as disheveled as ever.

With another sigh, Hiro walked toward his friend. The little teacher glanced worriedly over Hiro's shoulder at the open door checking too see no one followed, while Hiro bent down and picked up the fallen instruments. They put everything back and Hiro waited for Shuichi to close the door before asking,

"So what's going on, man? I just talked to your boyfriend and he seems distraught that you haven't been seeing him." Hiro smiled inwardly at the fact that if said boyfriend found out that he'd tattled about the student's current distraught state, he'd be beaten to pulp. Or run over by a Benz 2900.

"Huh? Wh-what did he say?" Shuichi asked worriedly.

"The usual," Hiro replied casually. He flipped his hair over his shoulder before tying it up in a small knot. He imitated Eiri's deep baritone voice, "Where's Shuichi?" Clearing his throat, he asked in his normal voice, "So what's really going on Shu? Could it be you're breaking up with--"

"Never!" Shuichi yelled, fisting a portion of the fabric on Hiro's chest, "I like Yuki! I mean… I lo-love him! I wouldn't break up with him for anything in the world!!!"

"Calm down," Hiro grumbled, petting the childish man's pink head. He asked worriedly, "Then why Shu? Why are you avoiding him?"

The small sensei pulled back and shook his head, "It's just... just training...you know, to see how long I can last without seeing him-oh god, I really miss him! Yuuukiiii!!!"

At the sound of footsteps in the hallway, Hiro instantly reached over and covered Shu's loud mouth. With yet another sigh, he realized he was asking the wrong questions. Or rather, the simple question was too complicated for his scattered buddy to respond to coherently. He pulled his hand away, but kept close in case he needed to damage-control.

"No, what I meant Shu is, that instead of avoiding him, you should spends as much time as you can with him. That's what I would do..." Hiro paused, "Or you can just take him with you."

"But Hiro you know I can't!!" Shuichi wailed.

Hiro knew that what he'd just said was what his friend wanted most. Shuichi wanted to take Yuki to Kobe with him. Shuichi and Yuki. Teacher and student. Lovers. Forbidden.

"Why not?"

"Because." Shuichi snapped, glaring at his friend with an incredulous expression, "One, Miyari alone is a reason. Two, I'm going to visit a house that's not mine. And three it's Kobe, Hiro! Kobe! Yuki wouldn't want to go with me! He rarely even goes to the supermarket with me--" Shuichi stopped when he looked up to find Hiro bending toward him, very amused and quite exasperated. The little teacher lost his steam and stammered, "Wh... what?"

"I think there's one more reason you're not naming... but I already know, so it doesn't matter." Hiro moved closer, "It's her isn't it? Rei." Answered by silence, Hiro took the liberty and withdrew a cigarette in plain view, lighting it before saying, "I remember when you'd look forward to these days. You always jumped around happily when you knew you were going home, even if only for a short time, to visit all of those from your past." Shuichi didn't say anything and Hiro continued, his voice lowering, "I always thought that you were happy to go back to Kobe because it was your only tie to her, the only place you remember her clearly. But now... you've put it off for as long as you can. Saying you'll visit next week, or the week after and so on... I'm sure there in Kobe, they've gotten the hint that you're not too keen on going back. But only Miyari and I know why."

"Hiro..." Shuichi mumbled softly. A small smile spread on the little teacher's face, obviously pleased that Hiro, as usual, understood him. The gesture was a simple one, just to let him know that someone understood… And that maybe, Eiri would understand also.

Smiling, Hiro turned for the door, calling over his shoulder, "You don't need those visits anymore Shuichi! But if you want to go because you've got to close the door on your life with the poor girl waiting at home for you, and yet can't leave your lover behind here… well then, take him with you."

"Wait Hiro!" Shuichi called, stopping him midway out the door, "What... what about...her? I know Miyari and I have agreed to go our separate ways...but what about Rei?" Shuichi held Hiro's gaze, eyes reflecting utmost desperation as though he wanted Hiro to tell him that if he did take Yuki with him... that everything would be alright.

"Just be careful Shu." Hiro offered, and left.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Shuichi examined the silver key in his hand with a heavy heart. Friday. Today was Friday and he hadn't spoken to his younger lover since Monday. Feeling brave he inserted the key into Yuki's apartment door and twisted the knob, the door swinging open with a soft creak. His Yuki had lent the key to him way back when he had first moved in with the student for a few days but hadn't asked for the key back, and Shuichi saw no point in returning it... not yet anyway.

"Yuki?" Shuichi whispered as he toed off his shoes. He made his way down the hall, but suddenly froze in the hallway as his sanity seemed to come rushing back.

_God Shuichi, what are you doing here?!_ He screamed inside, _Yuki wouldn't want to see you right now! You've been avoiding him and you've upset him, and you don't have permission to be in his apartment!_

"Argh stupid!!" Shuichi yelled out loud, only realizing what he had done seconds later when he heard his voice echo in the empty apartment. Panicking, he scrambled back down the hall and ran towards the door. _So stupid!_ He told himself, _Why are you here? This is trespassing and_—He broke off his thoughts to scold himself, _Why am I so stupid? No wonder Yuki calls me, his teacher and senior, 'idiot' all the time! _

He got his shoes on and had a hand on the door knob, ready to flee when a pair of arms reached from the darkness and wrapped tightly around him. He started, frightened and a little fearful, wailing,

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, Yuki!" He flailed a little but stopped when those familiar arms lifted him easily from the ground and onto a high shoulder. Glancing over his shoulder at the back of his lover's blonde head he puzzled, "Yuki..?"

"You're so loud. It's giving me a headache, you idiot."

"I am not an idiot! Now put me down!"

Shuichi squirmed and beat his tiny fist of sponges against the blonde's back. Seconds later he felt himself dumped unceremoniously to the ground. "OW!" when the sensei looked up he saw his student just in time settle on the couch, laying on his stomach with his arms folded beneath his head as a pillow...lying there motionless.

The curious older man poked the student, "Yuki...kun?" the addressed blonde stirred but moved no further, after a few seconds it dawned on Shuichi that maybe...just maybe his love was- "Eyah! You have a headache!" Shuichi suddenly recalled, spurring his feet to carry him towards the kitchen.

He returned moments later with a headache medicine and water. Without hesitation the writer took it and then laid back on the couch, groaning, "Where the hell have you been?"

"Huh?" Shuichi asked, puzzled and not sure what Yuki referred to.

"Don't 'Huh me. I've been looking for you for days!"

"Five." The teacher supplied miserably, shoulders drooping.

"What?"

Shuichi cleared his throat in guilt, "Five days...I know." The teacher looked at his student in the dark, and even then he could still see those golden narrow gaze...and then the boy turned his back towards the sensei and said nothing more. "Yuki." Shuichi was quick to say, "I'm sorry. I know it was bad what I did...I just...I just..."

"Five days..." Shuichi repeated guiltily. "We haven't spoken in five days. And I know you're pissed off with me." The teacher looked at his student and even in the dark he could still see those golden eyes narrow dangerously at him. The boy turned his back on the sensei and said nothing more. Sad and regretful, Shuichi tried, "Yuki, I'm sorry. I know it was bad what I did...I just...I just..."

"This is unbelievable!" Yuki declared with frustration, his deep voice cutting through Shuichi's pleading tone. "You said you didn't want to break up with me and yet you do this to me? And just why have you been avoiding me anyway?"

Shuichi was too shocked by the tone his lover was using. It sounded a little...lost...upset.

Yuki's shoulders tensed, his tone seemed defeated and resigned… and Shuichi knew at once what was happening. He reached over and shook the student's shoulder, exclaiming, "NO! Yuki, I--"

"Just shut up!" Yuki ordered, pulling away, which earned him a sharp slap on his arm. He glanced over his shoulder and glared.

"Listen to me!" Shuichi began yelling, "Why are you always so insecure about what I feel about you?! I'm here, I'm here with you! I wasn't able to see you this week because something came up and I was trying to decide whether you'd want you to go to Kobe with me! I was avoiding you to see how long I can go without seeing you! Without kissing you without hearing your voice! I wanted to see what it would be like if I left you here for a few days and wouldn't be able to talk to you! I wanted to know how lonely I'll get if you happen to refuse when I ask you!" when all the air left Shuichi's lungs, he took a deep breath, glaring at the teen.

Yuki blinked at his puzzling teacher. From the way the confusion in those golden eyes, Shuichi knew this situation was far from resolved. He opened his mouth to speak but Yuki's rising hand stopped him. He recoiled in fear of being struck, his face wrinkling in a grimace, but the hand only came to rest gently on his cheek. The sudden warm tingles made him shiver in anticipation of more…

"To Kobe?" He heard his teenage lover ask, "Why are you taking me to Kobe? And why would you need to think about whether I would want to go with you?"

"Because," Shuichi sniffed, allowing the hand to guide him closer to the couch, "Because I didn't know if you wanted to go see Miyari." knowing there was bad blood between Miyari and his lover, he quickly explained, "She...and I go way back when we used to be a trio. She, Hiro and I. And Kobe was our home..." Shuichi wrapped his arms around Yuki's strong frame and sniffed at his much missed lover's scent, "She called me a little while ago...and I couldn't say no."

Yuki grunted as he leaned back on the couch, easing his lover against himself. He shifted, maneuvering them both to lie against each other, Shuichi's back against his own chest and he wrapped his arms around the smaller form. Shuichi realized he wasn't the only one who had missed his lover and he smiled to himself, angling to one side so he could look over his shoulder at his handsome love.

"You are such an idiot." Yuki whispered into his ear, drawing gently teasing circles on his stomach. Shuichi squirmed and, at Yuki's smirk from his discomfort, lightly frowned at the student. The expression quickly faded, a smile blooming on his face when Yuki added, "But I'll go. Kobe isn't so far."

"A-are you sure?" Shuichi asked, breath hitching when one Yuki's exploring hand drifted over a nipple.

"Mmm…" Yuki breathed, turning to bury his nose in Shu's hair and taking a deep breath. Shuichi squirmed some more, feeling his lover's increasing excitement, the effects of their close proximity affecting them both. Yuki panted into his ear, "Brat, stop squirming."

Yuki pressed kisses to the back of Shuichi's neck and the teacher arched into it, the student's warm breath tickling him. He couldn't help shifting restlessly again and finally turned over to face his lover, kissing Yuki full on the lips. Pulling away he relaxed, tension seeping away with his relief. His eyes drifted shut but he still sleepily managed to press close, lips brushing over Yuki's and whispered softly against them, "I'm sorry. Forgive me?"

Pulling the blanket that had pooled around them and tucking themselves in, Yuki cuddled his sensei close and gently kissed the little teacher. Relaxing himself, he shut his own eyes and let them both slip away into slumber, dismissively replying, "For what?"

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O Shuichi's Apartment Complex O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Eiri sat on Shuichi's bed while watching the older man run around the room, quite amused at how scatter brained his little lover was.

"Let's see..." Shuichi said to no one in particular, "I've got my clothes...hair brush, toothbrush, toothpaste...underwear, shoes, slippers, money..." he glanced up at the speculator and smiled at the student, " and lover. Check." he giggled and shut his suitcase, "Okay, all's here. Ready?"

"I should be asking you." his lover grunted, slapping his sensei's hands away from the suitcase and taking it with his own, "Is there anything else?" He asked, and when Shuichi shook his head no, he picked his suitcase with the other hand and headed down the stairs.

Once in the car Yuki found himself rewarded with a soft, sloppy kiss by his lover, mumbling a hoarse, "Thanks Yuki." Before settling next to him on the front passenger seat and sleeping against the window.

Eiri couldn't blame him, the sensei had gone to his apartment quite late the night before, and with all of his 'insecurities' he'd made his teacher fuss over nothing and even cry a little...the man would practically be dead had Eiri continued to engage them in a sexual act- the student knew he was always a little wild when it came to make-up sex. He'd show Shuichi someday how 'wild' he was, but really, the teen noted that he'd have to have more self control if he planned on keeping Shuichi for a long time.

He took a quick glance at his sleeping beauty and smirked.

They left quite early that day. The two had been careful that no one saw them, disappearing at the same time alone was suspicious enough come Monday, and them being seen together would not bode well. Hiro had Shuichi's excuse covered, and for Eiri to disappear wasn't so unusual as he did it quite often just to scare Seguchi until the principal had given up and asked Eiri to at least 'leave a message' of some sort. This would be the first time he'd be telling the man to 'not worry signed Yuki Eiri'

A few hours into the drive, Yuki Eiri found out an interesting thing about his little lover. Shu dreams about him.

He supposed it was a little in the freeway when he thought he heard his sleeping beauty next to him mumble a soft, "Yukiii. Mmm." mewling away as he would in reality when Yuki touched him specifically.

Eiri saw the deep redness spreading like wildfire all over Shuichi's cheeks, the man's eyes gorgeously fluttering as he snuggled closer and closer to the car door he was using to prop himself up with.

"Yuki...pl..please."

The blonde student swore he wouldn't make it. He has to wake up the man and ravish him full with his lips! However, his better half decided that letting the teacher sleep was top priority. Oh there would be plenty more of unconscious fawning from the sensei, and Eiri would find himself rendered senseless as he drove on- trying hard to focus on the directions Hiro had given him and not at the honeyed words his love was mewling on about.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Miyari heard the soft purr of a distant car, cell phone still in hand. She'd just received a call from Shuichi that he and his companion was just a few minutes away- a few minutes away and she could hear the purr of a distant foreign car.

"He called you?" a soft voice asked. The door to the room opened gently with a creepy creak, and a girl stepped from the shadows of the room, "Shu-kun called?"

The clearly older one of the two smiled at her, nodding with a small smile. She waited a few moments before saying, "Hey, aren't you suppose to stay in bed? You'll be sick again."

"I want to see Shuichi-chan!" the girl protested softly, stepping away from Miyari's guiding hands.

In turn a hand petted her hair, "He'll be here soon. Not yet, but he'll be here. Now go to your room while I prepare a banquet for Shuichi's homecoming?"

The girl didn't answer and merely walked away.

_You've heard it too._ Miyari thought solemnly, _the distant engine of a car that brings home Shuichi. Quite foreign to our ears._

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Eiri exited his car and looked up at the foreign lands, in the midst of a green surrounding was a large temple, quite like his own father's only...a little more modern, and it hadn't seemed like used for praising but more as a home, the whole house wrapped with an exterior balcony and a little more style.

My old geezer can learn from here. He thought.

"Yuki help me with this!" Shuichi grunted from the back of the car, trying with all his might to pull out their suitcase.

"Oi-Shuichi-kun!" A mild, yet slightly low voice called. A voice that he'd heard before but in a less friendly terms.

Shuichi turned and the blonde could see his lover's heart shaped face brighten like the north star as he raised a hand and called, "Mi-ya-ri!"

Surprisingly to the youngest of the three, he felt nothing when he saw her. He had expected a little spark of anger- but not even jealousy or anything came. _Miyari was the past,_ his heart tattooed on his chest, _if it hadn't been for her, you wouldn't have Shuichi._ Because she'd cheated on Shuichi...Shuichi chose not to reconcile and surrender to Eiri's secret longing.

_Yeah,_ he thought, watching the friendly smiles between the two, _it's all in the past._

Miyari had began a step towards them when...something else whizzed by.

"Shu-chan!!" came the glassy voice, quite fragile but crisped.

"Re-Rei-" he stopped. Shuichi blinked as he felt a foreign feeling brushing against his lips. It wasn't familiar, wasn't sending any kind of passion in his mind, it wasn't...it wasn't Eiri's...kiss.

And just as surprised as Miyari and Shuichi, Eiri stared on- a sudden falling sensation appearing in the pits of his stomach, telling him that what he came for wasn't what he'd originally bargained for.

Who the **fuck** are you?!

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

"Dammit!!" a voice of one Yuki Eiri shouted, echoing in the woods and breaking the split second trance. All hell broke loose and Shuichi pushed away from girl while Miyari hurried over to the group.

"Re-Rei!" Miyari scolded.

The girl Rei, looked at the older woman and instantly returned her eyes back to the dazed Shuichi, bowing a little before saying, "Please excuse me Shu-chan." she stood up again proudly with a sweet smile and looked up at Shuichi only to notice the shadow behind him.

Forget the greeting, Shuichi instantly turned around to see how his lover had taken the whole scene and what he saw was definitely not good. There was a flicker of fire in the man's eyes and it became brighter as Eiri stepped next to him and bowed at the hosts, his teeth, Shuichi could tell, clenched tightly.

Rei blankly looked at the blonde, and Shuichi quickly interfered, "Ano...this is Yuki Eiri. A-a-a-" Oh no! I haven't thought of what to introduce him!

"A good friend." Eiri offered before standing himself straight and glaring directly into the girl's eyes. She was about as high as Shuichi, hair a bright auburn color beneath the lamp lights. She wore a few layers of high quality kimonos with a large ribbon tied to the back, her hair clipped in a green butterfly pin. She was like a porcelain doll when standing next to the tall Miyari.

Miyari stepped in and placed a hand on Rei's shoulder, "This is Rei, my younger sister. We are very happy to welcome-"

"Are you okay Yuki?" Shuichi asked affectionately, not minding that he'd interrupted his ex-girlfriend., "What happened?"

"Slammed my hands on the trunk." When Shuichi reached for his hand Eiri quickly shied away, "It's fine." He said flatly; no way in hell about to reveal to all that he'd faked it to get the fucking girl's face off of his lover's.

Miyari sighed irritably at how things had already turned out and bowed as a simple apology before smiling and raising a hand towards the house, "If that's the case, then let's go inside and have dinner, we'll get you settled afterwards."

The two lovers glanced at each other before Shuichi's smiled softly, nodded, and then followed Miyari and her sister towards the house. Eiri couldn't help but glance at the girl that had seemed very close to Shuichi.

Rei.

Somehow, the blonde felt that there was a connection between the sensei and her...and what worried him was how it appeared to be a special bond that even Miyari didn't have. And he feared that it might be just a tad bit stronger bond than his and Shuichi's.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Miyari laid out Eiri's futon in silence. Hiro was right. She thought bitterly, smoothing the bedding down on the ground, about everything.

Of course Hiro was right. She should have listened weeks ago when she called Hiro about Shuichi's visit. The first thing the man had said was, 'Expect one more company' and Shuichi the dolt hadn't let their expectations down. He brought his new lover with him.

No, Miyari wasn't bitter about her old 'relationship, if that was what you called it. She had been the one cheating on him and it was about time the kid found someone to take care of him. But that's not what was worrying her. She cast a glanced at Eiri's figure and quickly placed the pillow down. All throughout their brief dinner, the kid had only eyes for one person in the table, and that was his lover-who's attention had been occupied by her young sister of course.

Surprisingly, Rei didn't seem to find anything strange about Shuichi bringing a stranger to their home instead of Hiro. In fact, her sister paid little mind to him and, just like Yuki-san,' kept her attention on Shuichi. At some point she'd gotten into her emotional state.

_"I'm so happy that you did come! I knew that you'd be back soon- but," Rei paused and took a sip from her cup, "it took you longer this time to come back. Why didn't you come back last month? Or the month before?" her eyes shone as she spoke each word, voice beginning to soften and barely whisper at the end, "I thought for a moment you didn't ever want to come back here."_

Miyari wasn't blind to Yuki's confused glance. She knew he'd sensed something in the words. A feeling of longing--for a brother? Lover?

_"I..." Shuichi started, "I'm here now." he giggled, "That's what's important...right?"_

_Rei smiled, shifting from her seat and blushing a little, "Shu...Shuichi-san. If it's alright... Do- do you think you could go...with me? Tomorrow, we could go outing, to-together."_

_Outing._ At the word 'outing' Yuki spilled his sake, and dinner ended.

Finally finishing the futon, she stood and opened the window, "Hey," she said at the teen who'd been speculating her, "it's done now, so you can go to sleep. I'll just open this window so you won't fry." she pulled at the shutters and left them open, turning around to find Eiri setting his small suitcase off at the far corner of the room. He seemed distraught still, from the kiss Rei had stolen, and the date Shuichi had consented to.

"Do you feel threatened?" she asked. He met her eyes and she looked at them with great interest. They were handsome...and full of silly things Hiro had claimed to have seen since his and Shuichi's relationship began. "You shouldn't be worried." she said, easing the hostile air between them with the thought,

_I'm helping you feel better, and it sucks._

"Rei..." she hesitated, changing her words from another perspective, "Once Shuichi gets attached...he usually won't let go easily. Do you understand?"

"Like he was attached to you mean?" Eiri asked.

She shook her head, "No. He wasn't attached to me. Obligated, yes. But never attached." She hurried towards the door, saying in the meanwhile, "It would be best not to reveal things about your relationship to my sister. She's a very sickly girl, and if you could find it in yourself...just humor her for now."

"That's rich of you to ask." Yuki replied sourly.

Miyari didn't reply for a time, and when she couldn't find anything to comment back on, she held at the sliding door tightly and softly offered, "If you value your relationship with Shuichi...if you don't want further complications as it is, please don not reveal anything to her." She frowned at the apathetic boy and lower than a whisper said, "Rei isn't what she seems to be." and left, shutting the door firmly behind her and leaving Eiri to wonder what she'd meant.

Some minutes later, the door opened again and in stepped a mischievous figure. Eiri glanced at the pink haired sneak and quietly turned his back to him, resting his elbow on the window sill and resting the back of his head on the wall. Shuichi inspected his lover for a moment, making squeaking noise to inform his lover that he was indeed in the room with him. When it became clear he was being ignored, he asked,

"You alright?"

"Hm." Yuki replied, back still facing the man. Eyes still set outside to the dark forest.

Shuichi sighed at the passive expression on the teen's face. Why was Eiri acting like this? Hurting a little, he mumbled, "I couldn't sleep alone in my room." turned his back and settled on Yuki's large bedding, attempting to sleep on his side. Tried to. Seconds later the sensei turned back around and stared at the teen curiously. Without another word, Shuichi pulled the blanket off of himself and quietly crawled on all fours towards Yuki, rising on his knees while slipping his arms beneath his young lover's arms and wrapping them around Yuki's strong chest.

"What's wrong Yuki?" he asked, nuzzling the teen's neck and placing a loving kiss on his cheek, "Did I do something wrong?" He stopped, "...Rei?"

"Hng." Yuki grumbled, bringing up a hand and mussing the familiar pink hair. It would seem to the sensei that 'yes,' it would be nice to get an explanation.

Eiri turned his head slightly and looked up at the sensei, kissing his cheek while he slowly laid the man back down on ground.

"I'm so sorry Yuki." Shu whispered, brushing aside Yuki's hair towards his ear, smiling as he added, "I should have told you, but you're the only one. You know? I'm with you right now...so don't ever put yourself on the same level as Rei. She's like my sister. Like Hiro. But you...you're special." he brought the teen's face on his own and kissed him, whispering as soon as his lover pulled back, "Special."

"Are you still taking her?" Yuki asked, falling face down beside Shuichi. Groaning as his groin pressed hard against the floor. Shuichi stared at him...stared and then squealed.

"Eyah! You're so cute Yuki-kun!" Shuichi yelled, stretching the man's face, "You're jealous!"

Yuki swatted his hand away, "I-I'm not- you idiot!" but the student already knew that by the way the sensei was purring next to him, there was no insulting the man.

Fuck, he thought grudgingly, I know there's nothing...but still.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

A strong blow on the stomach knocked the air out of Eiri. Or at least his sleepiness.

"Hey you!" Miyari's thundering voice said, "Wake up dammit! Buddha- such a heavy sleeper!" she kicked his stomach again and rolled him to the side, ignoring Shuichi's protest at the side until finally the teen rose grumpily.

"Fuck, what?" Yuki grumbled. Miyari was starting to piss him off in more than one way, for one thing, she was like an exact replica of his elder sister Mika.

"It's eleven in the morning and you're still asleep? You're making everyone wait!" she shouted, "Stupid insensitive bastard. Come on!" she gave him another push while rolling up the futon.

"Miyarri." Yuki heard Shuichi whine, "We don't need to disturb him. Let him sleep"

Eiri considered what was said for a moment. Shuichi's voice. He was still in the house, which meant he hasn't left with Rei for their outing…so why the hell-

"What?" he asked, finally sitting up, his eyes turned into a glare and settled on his idiot.

"I'm really sorry Yuki…we just…well, we decided that since we haven't seen each other- Miyari and I- for a long time, we thought it'd be great if we _all_ went out today. Then we got to thinking that you might want to come with us." Shuichi grinned awkwardly while slapping his palms together in apology, "I'm really sorry Yuki!"

"Shuichi-" Rei called, appearing before the door, "Are we leaving? We don't have all day, and I want to explore a bit." her eyes shifted to Eiri who stared at her intensely before she smiled and walked off- obviously Eiri could tell, frustrated.

"Let's go Shu." Miyari called, patting the pink hair, "I'll wait outside and get the car started." as soon as she followed after her sister, Shuichi turned to the blonde,

"Yuki?" he asked hopefully.

Eiri nodded, "Yeah. I'll be out." and headed towards the bathroom, ignoring the giggle from Shuichi, "Damn brat's twirling me around his fingers." he mumbled to himself. It had always been that way, hadn't it?

The outing wasn't anything special. Not to Eiri anyways. They traveled around, Miyari driving across town with three passengers in the back, Rei sitting in between the two men. The first thing that drew their attention was a fall festival. As the group ran about, going from one stand to another- Eiri couldn't help but feel strange. He'd always hated having all the attention to himself, but now that they were actually in a group, he couldn't help but recall his first date with his sensei- unable to help the feeling that he'd rather have most of his sensei's attention than none at all. Which he'd been on the receiving end of the latter lately.

So now, here he was, sitting before a small shop that had been set up especially for this festival called, 'Akimono-ya.' A kimono shop if it wasn't obvious. And like his baka lover, the first thing that came to mind was 'try on a kimono.' Dragging along side Rei.

"Yuki…?"

Eiri snapped from his train of thoughts and looked up to see the black haired girl looking at him with, he'd just noticed, large brown eyes. Did…Rei just call his name? He didn't say anything back but kept her gaze and allowed her the luxury of his attention.

"Um…wh-what do you think?" she asked, still looking at him.

Yuki shrugged, "I'd need to see it first." which made her blush hard until she stepped out of the curtain and presented herself before the speculator. "Not bad." he said with a slight smile, the purple trimmed pink kimono with long flowery sleeve and white bow looked like it had been just created especially for her.

"Yuki!"

Eiri turned and dropped his cigarette he'd been eager to smoke. Did he ever mention how Shuichi's body leaned a bit more on the feminine side? He shook his head, looking the man up and down from head to toe. God, if he thought Rei hadn't looked bad, Shuichi was just gorgeous.

Gorgeous? He thought, a streak of pink crossing his face and vanishing just as quickly. It wasn't Shu's kimono that turned him on, in fact, it was just a plain brown cloth wrapped around his thin frame- _but gods, that perfect pink hair and face made all the difference._

"It looks…" Eiri hesitated and searched for the words. What was he going to say?

"It's cute!!" Rei shouted, forgetting Eiri again and rushing to Shuichi's side, "It's perfect and you're glowing!"

_Glowing. Yeah, that's the word,_ Yuki thought, watching as the two paid for their clothes, _You are glowing…Shuichi._

"Hey." Miyari greeted, entering the shop with a new pack of cigarettes, "Here's your treat kid. I noticed you've been smoking since we got here, and you're almost out."

Eiri nodded and took it gratefully with a grunt, shifting in his pocket for his lighter after popping one in his mouth. Ah, the rush of nicotine.

"You kids look like you're getting along." she said, addressing the whole scene she witnessed just minutes ago, "Kinda hard to worry when everything's happy huh?"

"I guess." Yuki replied, standing up and walking after Shuichi and Rei. Unaware of the sudden worried look that had formed on her face.

And for another three hours all Eiri felt like was an ornament to the side. Shuichi had barely spoken to him at all during their little shopping spree, always catering to Rei, and in turn Rei herself had began talking to him. There had to be something wrong there.

Miyari returned from the customer service area and to the three 'kids' sharing a bench, clearly exhausted from all the games and shopping.

"The guy just said that the festival is hosting a fireworks show. But it won't be for another twenty minutes or so…the sun has yet to set." she pointed at the almost diminished sunset, "You guys want to do anything before then?"

"Me!" Rei cried, hopping to her feet and taking Shuichi's hand in hers, "Shu-chan! Let's go ride the Ferris wheel!"

Yuki raised an eyebrow while Miyari looked as if she'd just been jolted by electricity. It seems the magic word had been spoken and finally Shuichi found in himself a form of unwillingness.

Gently freeing his hand, the pink haired sensei smiled at Rei, "I'm sorry. I'm really tired and I'll just bore you…" he paused and then turned to Miyari, "You won't mind taking her would you?"

"No. It's perfectly fine. I don't know how you can keep up with her anyways. Sure, I'll go with her this time." and while saying so, the older dark haired woman took Rei's fair hand and tugged towards the Ferris wheel.

"Yuki?" Rei asked, turning to the teen who hasn't spoken.

Eiri pulled out another cigarette, "No. I'll be staying to make sure this baka doesn't get booted off our bench."

Rei nodded with a smile and started for her destined ride, stopping only for a moment and looking back to see if the two was sure they wanted to stay. When it seemed that for sure they weren't coming, she smiled radiantly and waved at them while disappearing in the crowd.

Eiri blew the smoke away from his mouth before glancing at his sensei and sighing, "You're high maintenance, you know that?"

"I-I am?" Shuichi asked, scooting closer to the teen.

"First you're happy and now look at you. What do I have to do to keep that smile constant on your face?"

Shuichi blushed. _Eiri just said 'I!' He cares about me!_ But the blush was gone with a shy, "Nothing." and "I'm sorry."

A large crowd of laughing teens passed by before the two passed another word, the sensei offering, "Do you like Rei?" Great Buddhas, he hoped Eiri and Rei were in good terms now. People may think that he was dense because of his pink hair, but he's more than once recognized the exchange glares that seemed unfriendly to the extreme. Especially when Rei had stolen a kiss from him. Or how his Yuki would put it.

"Just fine." the student replied inactively.

The two watched the far mountains slowly pull down at the big red sun, sighing every now and then alternately. _When had I felt so peaceful?_ Eiri asked himself, all the turmoil in him and worry melting away- and he couldn't tell if it was the scenery or the company.

Before he could answer himself, he felt a warmth hover before his resting hand beside him, clutching at his knuckle gently and squeezing in reassurance. He gazed at the radiant face of his lover before lacing their fingers together and pulling the smaller man closer next to him.

"I've never felt so much peace in such a long time." Shuichi said as if bearing Eiri's very thoughts, he rested head on his student's shoulder, "I'm always like this with you…sometimes it's so confusing…do you feel it sometimes?"

_All the time._ Yuki thought, allowing Shuichi to bring their intertwined hands up on air and in front of the setting sun.

"I'm sorry." Shuichi mumbled, kissing his lover's knuckles, "For everything today…I promise, I'll make it up to you somehow. Okay?"

His blonde love didn't respond, merely glancing down at his senior with intense lust filled eyes. Gods, he wanted a kiss so badly.

"Can I…kiss you, Yuki-kun?" Shu asked shyly, beating the student to the punch while batting a pair of large purple eyes and pouty lips. It seemed the thought hadn't only crossed one mind.

Letting out a small chuckle, Eiri snuffed the ends of his cigarette and leaned down a little towards the pink haired sensei's level, placing a light kiss on the man's lips and slightly pulling away and murmuring, "If you want."

Shuichi instantly reached upwards at his lover's beautiful lips, tracing them lightly with his tongue until the student's own met his and guided him back to his own, their hands smoldering each other with desire. Their kiss was always so intense, full of passion and want that it was hard to end it even if one or the other wanted to. But this time, they didn't have to worry about that, something else would pull the two away unwillingly in a form of a-

"Shuichi I have ice-"

Both men turned their heads and found Miyari with Rei standing still behind them, each carrying two sets of ice cream and one already melting on Rei's hand. Yet standing still, the two women stared on at the two men, one thought passing both their minds- _Had they seen?_

They must've.

Unlike Miyari, Rei had a confused expression, her eyes a dark shade of blue so wide in disbelief.

"I-" Shuichi started, all of a sudden stopping when Rei dropped the ice cream cones she'd been holding. She hesitated for moment before rounding around the bench and to Shuichi. Snatching his wrist, he began to tug on his hand while turning another way, trying to drag him in the meanwhile.

"Let's go Shuichi." She said, weirdly reminding Yuki of the time when he'd also been caught by Miyari at the beginning. Back then, she's been angered, speaking only in contained anger.

Shuichi didn't seem to know what to do. Only staring at the back of Rei's head as she continued on pulling him along. It also seemed to Eiri that the man wished nothing more but to stay.

"Shu-" he called, but Rei immediately recoiled and turned around.

_"You owe me,"_ she suddenly said in an accusing voice. Her eyes met the sensei's and turned sharp, her hold on him unrelenting as she lowered her voice, "You owe me." she repeated.

"Shuichi." Yuki called again. His much frustration about the whole ordeal was never-ending! Who was this girl that she could order his lover around? _She was just a girl, so what if she's a homophobe?_ "Shuichi. Stay here." Yuki finished, challenging the quick glance from Rei.

The writer watched as Shuichi began to shrink in form, his shoulder sagging in great depression, murmuring to him back before following after Rei's pull, "I'm sorry Yuki. I have to go."

"Wait! I'll go too-" Miyari also started, jogging up to them when Rei's shouted,

"You can't come!"

Miyari stopped in her tracks, falling back on the bench. Anyone could tell she was shocked by the sudden side her sister was showing. Not that she hadn't expected something like this…yet she's never seen this side of her sister in a long while,

"Rei…"

"I said you can't come!" Rei continued, "Only me and Shuichi! You're not allowed- and you-" her cobalt eyes turned to Eiri, "Don't show yourself to me ever again!"

But Yuki barely heard her words. He was more worried as to why Shuichi just suddenly turned into a puppet. Just looking down on the ground as if he himself was being scolded. Then with a pull on his hand from Rei, they disappeared into a passing crowd.

"Shuichi…" Miyari mumbled glumly. She stared after the long passed crowd and then to Yuki, attempting a sweet smile through the sour moment, "Don't worry about them." She finally spoke to the teen, "They'll come back soon. Let's go Yuki-" Miyari encouraged, reaching for his shoulder.

"What's going on."

Miyari stopped. Pausing before answering, "N…nothing."

Suddenly Eiri whirled around and gripped her hand tightly, his narrow gaze intense and fired with anger as he dangerously said, "Don't lie to me. I said, what's going on!"

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Rei's hold, Shuichi had noticed, grew tighter by every passing second. He stared ahead at her and looked on at the back of her head, still unsure of what to do. It was as if she was holding him so tightly because she was afraid to lose him, just as she'd lost her. A long time ago.

"Re-" he tried to call, but a swift jerk on his wrist silenced him as he was force to dodge yet another large crowd, and the one he was unable to, he had to duck his head in shame. There was nothing he could do. Rei was set on taking him where she wanted him to be at that moment, and by the way that the large crowds and noises of laughter were leaving them, she was taking him out of the festival.

Weaving through the very last of their obstacles, they found themselves walking down a dirt path in silence, their feet making the tapping conversations with each other and the breeze clawing at them- yet higher and higher they went.

Where are we going? Rei- where are we going? Shuichi wanted to ask, but instead he kept his thoughts inside- interrupted only when the girl finally spoke to him a much less distant voice.

_"Once upon a time. There was a princess and a prince."_

Shuichi blinked as they strayed from the road and through the forest, "…Rei?"

_"They'd made plans to be forever together…however, their kingdom were too different. Their people rebelled against them because of their plans, and no one wanted anyone to do anything with them until they promised never to meet again and return to their own separate castle._

The prince was adamant on giving in because he said he loved her. But the princess didn't want the prince executed, so she left him. Heart-broken, tired, weeping until finally word spread to the Princess' kingdoms that the prince had fallen ill—because of her." 

Shuichi's eyes grew wide in horror as she spoke out her story, courage suddenly welling in him as he tried to pull away from her grip, interrupting her altogether, "Stop! Rei- stop it!" he tugged harder on his hand, but she was unrelenting.

"Not yet." She said. "We're almost there."

"Rei-"

_"The princess visited the ill prince, in his sleep asking him to meet her in the highest mountain where they first met when she'd been so lost. Then she left._

Immediately the prince awoke, and he dressed himself in his best suit, carrying with him the greatest gift of his kingdom. He traveled far with his mighty steed, his prosecutors, his own people, right behind him, however, that didn't stop him.

He arrived upon the mountain, and sure as he ever could be, his love awaited. There she was in her best dress, smiling kindly at him. She spoke softly to him words that no one ever knew about and died." 

"STOP!" the sensei shouted, his eyes screwing shut at the last word, "Don't say anymore! It's a bad story. I don't want to hear it-" Shuichi paused…the hand holding his was gone.

Rei watched through her blue eyes at the blank expression that had watched over the too sensitive man, his eyes that he'd always adored leaving her and glancing around, arms relaxing much like a druggy who'd finally gotten their drug after withholding for so long. She stepped aside, still watching him walk slowly past her and stopping before…before her.

Shuichi's hand flinched as he brought one on the headstone standing proud on the ground. His lips quivered at the familiar spark the shot from his finger to his heart as soon as he touched the cold gravestone- a strange sleepy feeling overcoming him and numbing his whole being as he swallowed hard and whispered the words engraved on the tombstone-

"Hime…hi…"

Rei stared with indifference as the man fell on the headstone, clutching it for dear life while tears began to streak down the sensei's face harder and faster than she'd ever seen in the past.

"Hime…hime." Shuichi sobbed, burying his head on the headstone while dread, sorrow, irritation and everything that he wasn't feeling at the moment was absorbed away from him and down seemingly towards the ground. Down to his Hime. (2)

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Miyari stared outside the restaurant's window and up at the gray sky. She waited patiently for the waitress to finish serving their evening tea; hers and Yuki Eiri's. The waitress finally bowed and left the two to their own device. When Miyari reverted her eyes from outside and across to her companion, she recognized the urgency in the blonde's eyes and decided to spare him from anxiety.

"Do you know what day it is today?" She asked. Sipping from her hot tea with caution.

Eiri frowned. He wasn't here to participate in a guessing game dammit! But before he could tell her his thoughts, she interjected,

"Today's the day of the dead. Thus the festival." She caught the slight flinch from the teen but said nothing of it, "Not too long ago, she'd lost someone very special…and she, along with Shuichi formed a bond together. She was just a little girl then, but it was very strong…and Shuichi was the one who helped her through the trauma of her sister's death. Our sister."

Miyari stared at him narrowly with furrowed brows as she watched the confused thoughts running about his head. She decided to continue with her tale, saying,

"Once a month, every year, for the past five years…Shuichi visited Rei and they both went to our sister's grave. Every single month can you imagine? Then…" She paused.

"Then…?" Yuki mumbled.

"Then he was gone. This was the first he hadn't attempted not to go. The first he, without ever telling Rei anything through a letter or through me, that he wasn't planning to go to our sis' burial place." Eiri opened his mouth to say something, but she shook her head, "No. Shu would _never_ forget. _Never._ He chose to try and forget us here."

"Stop blaming Shuichi for everything."

Yuki matched the intensity of her glare,

"Like it or not, that man is irresponsible to most things. Don't blame him for something like this." He stood up on his chair and ignored the attention he'd drawn, loudly saying, "What's with you and everyone else? Shuichi is an adult. He can do the hell as he pleases. If he wants to go to a grave site, let him, if he doesn't, then leave him. You, Miyabi, and your sister, and Hiro and everyone else are just pushing him and using him for convenience."

"That's not true!" Miyari argued back, "Shuichi comes here out of kindness! We never pushed him to do anything."

Yuki started for the door when he saw the manager of the place started approaching. Glaring at Miyari, he mumbled lowly, "You and your sister makes me sick."

Rapidly Miyari jogged after him towards the exit, confronting him once more in front of the store, "You can't say that!" She shouted, "No matter how selfish you think we are, we do it for Shuichi! But you'd never understand! You weren't there! You never saw Shuichi the opposite of his condition today! You weren't there to see him crying his poor eyes out because-"

Miyari slapped a hand over her mouth in realization at what she'd come to almost reveal- to Shuichi's current lover no less. She would have revealed their deepest secret…she had been so close.

Eiri stared on at her expectantly. Not the type to ask for the continuation of her broken words, but still curious.

She straightened herself and withdrew her hand that held Yuki back, taking out her cell phone, her composed self suddenly back as she read the words on her phone screen.

"I have to go. _Stay here._" And turning her back, she walked off with the passing breeze.

What a mess. Yuki thought, his head turning up and towards the bright lights of a distant Ferris wheel. Closing his eyes and showing his aching heart through his expression, he wondered, _Shu…what the hell is going on?_

The sudden worried expression that had appeared on Miyari's face, full of fear and the urgency of her exit…the call must have been from her sister's.

Eiri caught movement from his peripheral vision and craned his neck, squinting his eyes, he realized not far off was a dock crowded by so many people, lighting paper lanterns and placing them on a small wooden ship and send it off down the river. Not far off, with a wooden boat and a paper lantern in hand, was also his sensei.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Miyari drove a good fifteen minutes around the festive area before finding Rei on the dirt road, clearly a wreck. Her purple kimono were ripped in places, left sandal broken, cheek lightly bleeding from tiny cuts and tears pouring in rapid drops like the Chinese water torture.

"Rei!" Miyari called, hurrying over and pulling out a handkerchief from her pocket. She sat next to the younger girl and waited for her to accept the cloth. Rei's hands instead came around her, pulling closer towards Miyari and burying her head in her elder sister's light jacket. "Re…Rei?" Miyari mumbled in surprise towards the sudden gesture.

"How could he do this to us?" Rei sobbed, clutching on the back of Miyari's clothes, almost to the point of clawing at it, "How could he lie to us all this time?"

"Rei…"

Rei shook her head in response to her the call. Distress overcoming her senses…

_How could she had been a fool? She'd thought that now that Shuichi was back, there was no threat of him leaving her anymore! She'd forced him to come with her, but watching him cry there on her sister's grave gave her the impression that him leaving was obsolete!_

Shuichi raised his head, still and wiping his tears while his left hand traced the letters and numbers on the tombstone.

"Shuichi. I can tell she's missed you. Look at how her gravestone turned dark at color because you left and didn't come back for almost five months now." She smiled at the tears that began to well up in his eyes, "Shuichi, don't cry anymore. See? One-san will be happy now that you're back. You'll be here every month from here on out, ne? We'll visit her and give One-san flowers, clean her tomb…you'll do that with me…ne?"

She knelt next to him and took his hand in hers.

"Ne?"

At first the tears had been relieving. But now, they weren't stopping. They continued to pour from his eyes, and after a little while, it began to bother Rei.

"I'm so so sorry Reiko."

Rei pulled back a little and stared down at the man, "Why Shu? You didn't do anything wrong…" she tried to pet his head, but the sensei moved away.

"No. Not that." Shuichi replied, shaking his head briskly, "I…I'm not coming back."

**Not coming back…**

_Shuichi smiled a little, still crying, "I found something…someone that I need to care for. I…I won't have time to come down here…" he was halted when Rei's hand slipped away from his._

"That's a lie.." Rei whispered in shock, her eyes falling wide and blurring. Whispering once more, "You're lying!"

"No." Shuichi replied, his shoulders quivering with his voice.

She looked down at him and saw in his eyes the longing for forgiveness, the apologies, and the offer of a new friendship for the crime he'd just admitted to.

"I…I have to take care of the person I love most now." Shuichi said.

"How could he!" Rei screamed on her sister's chest, bringing a hand and beating on Miyari's arm, "There's no one else he should love! Just…just you now. Because you're his lover! He promised to stay with us through your relationship! How could he? He promised!"

Miyari stared down at her expressionlessly for a moment…then gradually her brow began to gather, her pink tinted lips parted and her cheeks began to burn as her eyes brimmed with tears.

"I…It's my fault Reiko." Miyari cried, tightly holding Rei, "I…I should have told you, but I…I'm the one who couldn't keep the promise…I- I'm the one at fault. I should have told you that he'd found someone else to love…just as I'd found someone else to love. Oh…Buddha's, Rei…please…please forgive me."

But Rei barely heard. Only nitpicking word after word that had been said. It's my fault. I couldn't keep the promise. I'm at fault. I'm at fault. I'm at fault. I'm at fault-

"You are the cause he's leaving…" Miyari's sister murmured, lifting her head away from her sister's embrace. Her eyes blurred as she stared at the ground, "**You caused Shuichi to leave! **" she accused.

"Rei I-ah!" Miyari tumbled back towards the ground as her sister knocked her away, supporting herself on her knees, she reached for her quickly withdrawing sister and called her name, but Rei began to run, yelling as loud as she could without a glance back-

**"It's your fault!"**

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Shuichi stared as his boat floated off the distance, joining the many other lantern boats off the distance. He marveled at the sight, how it looked like the stars have finally descended to earth- drifting out to sea.

All the others have left after setting the ships to drift away, but Shuichi stayed, knees tuck beneath his chin, hugging himself alone in the night as he thought of his own lantern ship. The one far off that read 'Hime.' A lone smile strayed on his face, and he placed his head down in shame. After Reiko had run away from him, he too ran away.

At first, when he'd told Rei he wasn't going back, he felt a pang of loss…but not regret. He had Yuki. Then he set out on his way to lead Miyari Zan and Rei Zan's sister out of this world. Thus the small boat floating afar, give her the final rest he, and the Zan sisters have been withholding her from.

Rei's words however still echoed in him, I hate you Shuichi!

"Me too." Shuichi mumbled, "I hate myself too Rei. I'm sorry for making you sad…" but Shuichi could only say those words to himself. Rei's bitter expression had made him speechless.

Now he was distraught. The Zan's had been his family, Hiro's family. They've been close for the longest time- and Shuichi had just made sure to have severed that connection. After this, he wondered, will I ever see this city again from their home? And the sensei knew that a good percent of that possibility was a 'no.

"God, I'm such a horrible person. A horrible-" but he wasn't able to finish when a hand touched his shoulder. Startled, the sensei raised his head from his knees. He was suddenly aware of all his tears, but he didn't have enough time to wipe them away because someone else was able to do just that.

"Hey you brat." Yuki mumbled, settling next to him and wiping away the salty water off his cheek, "Look at you. You look like you just went through a massive break up."

Shuichi continued to stare at his Yuki for the longest time.

Eiri kissed his forehead and cradled his cheek with a hand, letting the sensei relax to his touch before saying, "What's wrong."

Without warning, Eiri found himself forced back on his haunches as his lover threw himself forward on him and reached for the student's face, cupping them with soft hands and bringing him close for a pliant kiss.

Shuichi pressed another gentle kiss on the corner of his lips before pushing back and crying again, "Gods, Yuki…Yuki please, make me happy Yuki. I need you so much. You're all I have now. Stay here with me, please?" He sobbed as he desperately clung on to his lover, "Can you do that Yuki? Just…anything. Please make me happy…please?"

Before Shuichi could sob anymore, he found his lips captured in a fiery kiss, moaning before giving into his lovers tongue, their muscles playing and causing wonderful sensations skittering from their heads and making their toes curl in anticipation. Shuichi moaned again, unsure if this time he was accompanied by his student.

As soon as Eiri pulled away, Shuichi pushed away in surprise, shaking his head in mortification at what they'd just done in public, "Yu-Yuki-kun, y-you don't have too! I…I was just…ki-Yuki!"

But his lover wasn't listening anymore, he smirked at the whiny lover of his as he led the man away from the dock and to a taxicab, both unaware of a particular girl watching them as they passed by without a word.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Yuki pulled Shuichi along with him as soft pellets of water began to pelt on them, Shuichi giggled, and Yuki smiled ever so softly, his hand holding on tight to his sensei's. Upon seeing the lit face over his shoulders, Yuki knew he'd do anything to get that smile on his lover's face, offing the ugly expression his man had that stabbed at him like a dagger…that sad smile.

_It just wasn't Shuichi._

"Come on brat!" Yuki drawled as the rain gained strength.

It didn't take long for the two lovers to arrive at the in from the stop their cab had dropped them off. The inn looked authentically built from a long time ago. The roof built with dark red tiles curving up with the four guardians of directions perched on the corners. Yuki pushed through the sliding doors and came in the lobby where an old wooden desk was set up with a small line in front.

The student dragged themselves on the line and waited patiently. Soon, the silence began to bother him, and taking his eyes off the front desk, he turned around to inquire for his lover's condition. He pulled out his pack of cigarettes before saying,

"He-" but quickly his words died away and he found himself staring at his soaked wet lover. He cursed inwardly at the flashes of erotic images that welled up from his deepest mind, evoked by none other than the short obi that not only clung on the sensei like a second skin, but also accentuated his...'lower' areas and nipples.

Buddhas…

Shuichi didn't seem to know his effect on his own love and innocently raised his reddish head, "Yuki?"

There was a soft cha-tchak' sound from Yuki's cigarettes dropping, and Shuichi found himself wrapped in his love's strong arms, pulling him by the waist and kissing him deeply while caressing his sides and sneaking a feel on his ass.

_Oh,_ Shuichi thought hopelessly. How embarrassing to be so intimate in front of so many people!.._How exciting!_

"Sir?" a voice interrupted in the middle of their kiss.

Shuichi opened a slit of his eye and glanced as Eiri took the key the girl had offered, only taking a mere second to read the number before pushing both themselves away and down the hall, lips still locked together.

"Yuki..." Shuichi murmured when his back hit the flat of their room's door with a dull 'thud. He'd thought for a moment Eiri was willing to give him a break to catch his breath and compose himself more (as they'd found out he lasted a smidge bit longer to come), but instead his blonde sadistic lover buried his head on the small neck of the sensei and began to kiss him intensely, full of passion and want as he made his way up on Shuichi's cheek while pushing in the key to their room at the same time.

Shuichi could do nothing but surrender himself completely while still trying to maintain his volume. "Yuuuki...kun" the sensei whined, bringing both of his small hands on the side of the teen's head and pushing it away gently. "Open the door." He whispered, shivering at the teen's piercing gaze.

"Mm." The other replied, a bit irritated at the interruption, "Be quiet."

Taking his hand, Eiri led the sensei in silent earnest through the dark until they found the bed. Yuki couldn't help but grin inwardly at the tomato faced man as soon they landed the pillows. "Look at you." Yuki said lowly, pushing himself up from the bed and on his knees between his man's thighs. He ran his hands down towards the teacher's knees and spread them erotically slow, raising the man's arms to the sides while the other gently crept up from his lover's navel to his neck, fingers curling around it to keep him down while his golden head dipped along with his weight on the bed, tongue running sensuously on the man's groin. "You're already turned on." Yuki chuckled at the man, fingering the skin a little off from Shuichi's 'standing problem.'

"You're so mean..." Shuichi whined, jerking a little when the traveling fingers moved away from his need to continue on teasing him, "You...you like to tease me." he whispered as if a great revelation.

"Hm...I do." Yuki replied absently, eyes set on the wrap-around cloth on his lover's body. The student had thought it was time to take off everything from his partner, and he meant everything. Sliding off the shoulders first, Shuichi's kimono came off top easily and it didn't take the teen long to set on undoing the knot in front.

Before long, Eiri found himself staring at his lover, looking as wanton as ever just laying there underneath him with his hands confined on top of his head as if it had been bound, violet eyes sparkling in lust and cheeks burned with embarrassment _and excitement_ his body flushed in pink. Just like his glowing hair.

Bowing his head low, Eiri slowly engaged the man into another kiss. Using their special language to convey to Shuichi how much he had been longing for him. Yuki wanted to tell Shuichi how much he'd missed him like this, just beneath him and his

"Yuki." Shuichi mumbled, "I missed you so much. Just like this…just us." He writhed beneath the man and reached up and framed Yuki's cheeks, "Please, make me happy? Make me yours…Yuki-kun?"

The student stopped. The way his lover had said that to him…he almost sounded desperate, as if he really needed it. "Do you need me that badly?" Yuki asked, kissing the man's chest before enveloping the left nub on his chest. His right hand creeping to the small of Shu's back and sliding down the crevice of the man's rear until it found Shuichi's entrance.

Upon feeling the first pain, Shuichi's muscles contracted, his hands falling on his larger lover's broad shoulders and digging deep into the blonde's pale skin. "Yuki…hurry!" he sighed promptly.

"Relax yourself." Yuki urged upon decision that the man was ready. Even, he himself was more than ready- and even if Shuichi wasn't…he'd have to him now! Pushing himself up again on his knees, the writer aimed his engorged penis to Shuichi's anus and pushed in the head, waiting for the pained gasps from his lover to subside before swiftly pushing in completion.

"Ah!" Shuichi screamed, his whole body arching at towards the filling he'd missed so much. Trembling.

Eiri gripped his waist firmly and pushed into him once more before pulling out and slowly rolling his hips in circular motions, grinding his cock in Shuichi and then pushing himself back in the tight heaven. Yuki saw the tears rolling off his lover's rosy cheeks and made an attempt to wipe it away- only to have himself lose balance and falling with all of his weight on his tiny mate.

"Yu…Yuki?" Shu asked, a little daze from the hit. His right hand came up on the teen's golden forest head and shuffled in it until Yuki's head raised and eyes that were soul catching focused on him. His young lover made no attempt to move away, and finally Shuichi tried to ask 'What's wrong-' before he's voice was held captured in him by the definite frown on his lover's face. And what's more, it was directed at him.

"Baka." Yuki growled through his soft expression. Only when he shifted a little to the right did the lights out in the streets begin to illuminate his hidden face, and Shuichi realized that his lover looked more worried than angry. As if his student wanted to ask him, 'What's wrong?'

"You're the kindest person I've ever met." Shuichi said, bursting right into tears. He nuzzled the hand that petted him for comfort and leaned towards the soft and perfect lips that rested right on his cheek, sobbing all the while, "I've never known till now what it was like to be taken care of like this. To have someone I really want…Yuki…"

"That's enough." His younger lover growled, sealing their lips as one and pushing and pushing towards the body until they both broke for breath. Still gasping for air, the writer wasted no time in wrapping his arms around his treasured lover and sitting him up, ignoring the confuse look from his sweet fool with a simple kiss.

"Aaa-!" the sensei gasped, looking down at the point where they were still connected and blushing heavily at the effect it had on him as they moved the slightest bit.

Yuki thrust up and latched his lips unto the man's neck, lapping at it with ardor before drawing himself out of the man again and harshly ramming himself back with all his might into his love.

Shuichi in turn pushed his chest up in the air, his back making a perfect spoon-like curve as he clung on around Eiri's chest, panting and gasping loudly while unknown to him all the sounds he emitted pleased his darling more and more as his volume increased.

Shu's senses harvested all kinds of sensation- sensitive to everything his lover was. His sweetheart's scent gave him passion, his touch gave him strength, the steady pounding in him sending jolts of contentment one after another, all coming from his groin and spreading to his heart and mind- soul just a little out of reach. Right now, among all the important things he held in his heart, all he wanted was Yuki. Yuki's essence in him and giving him reason for breaking his contact with the Zan's…with Rei.

All thoughts of the poor girl was knocked out of his head when Yuki pushed, reaching the nub inside him that was about to trigger one of the most pleasurable feeling in the world. A high he couldn't get enough of.

"Ah- um! Yu-Yuki…" Shu gasped, struggling through the teen's drive in him, "Yuki…I can't…oh Yuki…A-" but there was no stopping it now; Yuki reached in between them and cupped his balls, manhandling him and rolling the sacs side to side and dragging out the whole entire length of the sensei's penis and pumping him mercilessly, urging him to cum. Not just come, but strong with passion and a loud cry. "Oh Yuki I'm coming!!" Shuichi yelled, sitting himself fully on Eiri's shaft and diving his head on the teen's pastel shoulder blade, biting him in turn of triggering his silent lover's own ejaculation.

Shuichi sucked harder as he felt his Yuki's lukewarm seed cooling inside of him, coating his outstretched inner walls while his own erection emptied itself of orgasm to the strong chest of his Yuki Eiri with a quiet 'splsh.'

Shuichi had never felt so dirty and elated at the same time before, and only his student could ever evoked such feelings from him…

The sensei detached his mouth from the shoulder and kissed the deep purple-blue mark sighing in confoundment as the teen took it upon himself and laid both of themselves down…or rather, Yuki reclined against the pillows with Shuichi hugging his waist and head resting on his pecs.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

"So good…" The sensei muttered. He craned his neck upwards and stared deeply in his Yuki's mist covered eyes- all signs of post-coital bliss present before the teen returned the dazed look back down at him. Both in a relaxing daze. "Yuki…I…" Shuichi whispered, his lips reaching up for the teen's, "I…" and the sensei became supple at the feel of lips treading gently to his- kissing him goodnight…good night.

Good night.

And the pink haired sensei's last thoughts as his eyes closed was an image of the most beautiful, perfect, lover in the world…that and the words he had no strength to convey to him,

I love you Yuki-kun..

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Yuki shifted when he'd heard his sensei say something…something that sounded extremely like 'I lo-

"No. That can't be it." He convinced himself. He moved both of their bodies to lay side by side without severing their connection, and wiping a hair of his lover's adorable face, he asked, "Why were you crying?" but, just like his sensei- he too found no strength to think, and allowed sleep to overwhelm him.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

And just outside the room, a cigarette's flame slowly died and fell on the white creamy carpet, joining three other more that had been smoked a long while ago. The holder of said things reached for another in the pack only to find there was no more, and raising her head slowly, she pushed against the wall she'd been leaning on and stood up.

When she'd entered the inn, she'd been full of hope, anxiety, love, contentment and sorrow. Yet in the small time it took to reach the exit, she had cried away all her tears; everything in her gone, and there was nothing more left but the numbness.

But soon, Rei thought, I'll figure out what to do. Soon.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Cold Play Ending Theme  
Last Song: By Gackt

(Guitar Opening)

Shuichi turns around and catches Yuki looking at him and they stare at each other. Screen freezes and the class and their surrounding fades black and white while Shu and Yuki remain in color.

Walking around aimlessly by myself  
Breathing a faint sigh, my breath turns white-

Screen splits in half; on the right side is Shuichi crying with his knees tucked beneath his chin, and on the left side is Yuki in Tohma's office with a slightly sad face looking down at the ground.

Seasons change, and in this fleeting season..  
My tears fall for no reason

The right side of screen expands and it shows Shuichi burying his head on his knees, shaking, while snow continues to rain on him.

"Even now, I still love you"

(camera moves from bottom to top)  
Shows Shuichi clutching on to Eiri's chest tightly.

Falling sadness transforms into pure white snow  
I'm always looking at the sky above me  
Before this body disappears, I want to reach the wish I have now  
Once more, I want to hold you

Fast transitions from Shuichi running after Yuki in the parking lot to jumping on him- to Miyari slamming the Ferris wheel door open then to Hiro staring at the two lovers and then goes back to Shuichi jumping towards Yuki and shows his lips reaching for Yuki's, the screen freeze at the part where they kiss.

(Guitar Ending solo)

Shows Shuichi walking down the hall of the Academy and he comes across Yuki walking from the opposite direction with an indifferent expression, one arm slung over a girl's shoulder.

Shuichi stops and his lips part slowly as if to say something; the two students pass him and the sensei lowers his head and turns away.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

AN: There you go! I hope you guys liked the song! Once again, the song is by the Japanese singer Gackt called 'Last Song' if you've never heard of it, please try to find it and listen to it at least just once. Be aware it is sung in Japanese, I just copied the translated version of the lyric.

A few announcements:

1. Thank you for your wonderful and supporting Play Part I has ended! Meaning, the next chapter I post HERE will be Cold Play Part II! (You guys have already caught a glimpse from the ending theme of what's going to be on part II). And no, the girl in the ending of the song is NOT NOT NOT Ayaka. She doesn't make it to this fanfic. At least I hope so.

3. I should be back to posting every two or three weeks or so, maybe even less, depending on my muse that's hating on me. However, please bear with me and my beta because I'm running short on inspiration and my beta is running on a busy schedule. If you guys want to help, please do encourage my beta and I with your best luck!

4. The real story begins next chapter…well, more about Shuichi anyways and Yuki. Hopefully.

5. Congratulations! If you're still here and reading, you've read exactly 32 pages of Microsoft word! Yay! Thank you for your perseverance so much!

And that's it!

Please review, I hope you'll all give me your thoughts on this chapter! I love you all so much, every opinion is like a pot of gold to me! See you all next time!

P.S. The girl in the ending theme is NOT NOT NOT Rei! Ta! You guys will have to wait to remember!


	11. Shining Collection's Jinx

AN: Thank you so very much for your patience! Please enjoy!

Cold Play ACT II  
Chapter 11: Shining Collection's Jinx

--

Tohma looked up at his assistant from his leather chair, "Ah, Noriko." he greeted, watching his purple haired secretary enter. Along with her she brought a stack of folders in, nervously approaching his desk as the principal asked, "What's all this?"

"These statements arrived this morning and I just looked over them." He gave her a questioning look and she seemed frightened when she hurriedly said, "I know it's my responsibility, but I thought you'd want to handle this one on your own since…I think they've made a… mistake."

"Is that so?" he mumbled, raising a powerful hand towards the folders set on his desk. He took one of the blue ones and scanned the paper inside once, twice and maybe a third time before saying, "Have you contacted them?"

"Yes."

Setting the paper down, he took a deep breath and said, "Thank you Noriko. I'll handle it from here." When he sensed her still in the room, he added, "You may attend to your other duties."

"A-alright." She responded, even though she was hesitant about their current situation, she decided once and for all that it was best to leave the man to solve their current problem.

Once she was gone, Tohma let out a heavy breath, his eyes suddenly more intent and on guard than a minute prior. His eyes again fell on the bank statement on his desk, skimming right down to the last sentence.

'Special request from the government have resulted to freezing of account, and it will remain so until further notice.'

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

It had been weeks since he'd stepped into school, dealing with delinquents and disciplining them. His long blonde ponytail swished in excitement that finally, he would have reason to use his golden revolver, like the 'man with the golden gun' movie.

Up until now, K had always considered himself a lucky guy and with all the luck he thought he had, the last thing in his mind was getting fired right after he took a vacation.

_Oh the agony!_ K thought, _what would these…these children do without me?_ The man turned his head out the window and smiled at the students on the track field. _You call that running?_

"HA!" K yelled, pulling out his gun. But immediately he put it back to its case, Tohma's words already ringing in his head,

_"__K-san. I regret to tell you that you are no longer a teacher in this Academy. From now on there will be no need for you and your…methods of teaching. However, looking back at your 'interesting' resume... I do have another position for you to fill in.__"_

The ex-sensei was just about to burst into a maniacal laugh when a voice interrupted.

"K?" and immediately the addressed man turned and found two teachers staring at him, and behind those two teachers, a dozen students that have started entering the school.

"K you're back!" Shuichi exclaimed, sending shivers down the backs of the unfortunate students who had gotten acquainted to K for the short time he taught at the school.

"Yo, Shindou! Nakano! I'm back from my vacation, star and all!" 

"That's great then K. I take it that your vacation did go well." Hiro replied.

The American nodded, "That's right. My wife and I went a week long cruise after we finished shooting her movie. I'm relaxed," he laughed, "In fact, so relax I'm quite ready to start detention again!"

Students around them froze at the word. However, time and motion resumed itself when Hiro laughed the man's words away like a joke, "Everyone is quite good K. I think there is no need for that."

Shuichi nodded in agreement, only to stop and ask, "Wait. Does that mean you're going to be taking over class four again? You are their original home teacher before Hiro."

At the perfect timing a group of students from class four entered the hall, and even though they have been quite a ways away from the conversing teachers, they heard Shuichi and their feet froze right on the floor.

There was a moment of silence as K puzzled over Shuichi's words. He stared at the teachers…and laughed.

"Oh no!" he cried, "Haven't you heard? There's a problem with the school account and right now, Tomah's disposing himself of teachers one by one until the problem is solved. I'm quite fired as of now! And he's reconsidering all of the other teachers!"

Hiro and Shuichi stared at the man, their smiles wiped right off of their faces. One word striking their faces in big bold letter. 

**FIRED.**

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Hiro stalked the halls with a dangerous air, his sneakers pounding heavily but quickly on the floor. They were missing, almost every single one of them, and if K hadn't told them earlier about Tohma's spontaneous dismissal of the teachers, he wouldn't have a clue as to where to look for them. But, as he'd learned in all the schools he'd taught, 'Rumors traveled fast'. 

Genesis academy was should be no exception.

Coming to the third floor of the school, he made his way to his destination. There, he forcefully flung open the door saying even though out of breath, "Hey Shu! Do you know if--"

But his unasked question was immediately answered when he saw exactly what he'd expected to see. His students that he'd surely count as all absent were crowding themselves into Shu's already full classroom. Unfortunately, the disrespectful body of students also refused to let him get near his best friend.

A full ten minutes later, Shuichi and Hiro, after many attempts to get class four to go back to their class, finally gave up and opted for settling the young adults down, berating them in the process. Class four however, not minding their intrusion, were eager to ask,

"Is it true you're getting fired Shindou sensei?" Hanako piped up from her circle of friends, the other nodding.

"We…we don't know that yet." Shuichi replied, shaking his head as if nothing's wrong.

"But we really don't want you to go sensei!" some of the girls from class 3-7 cried.

The guys, being a little less sentimental, simply nodded in agreement.

Hiro watched with fascination at the scene unfolding before him. Students concerned and his best friend attempting to placate them and get the session's lesson's going. Who knew Shuichi was teacher material? Certainly not him when they were in High School together!

Looking aside, a golden head looking into the class body, there stood out a golden head which caught Hiro's eyes. Well, well, if it isn't Yuki-san, he thought.

He didn't think Eiri would be the kind to barge in and ask for explanations about all the rumors, let alone participate in a rumor, but standing quite alone outside the room, leaning against the wall with smoke in hand…he'd have to give it to him. The boy seemed truly concerned, earning Hiro's respect. Silently excusing himself from Shuichi, Hiro exited the room from the back and made his way towards the smoking student.

"Smoking is not allowed." He said, snatching Yuki's pack from hand and lighting one for himself.

The student ignored him.

"So you heard too huh?" Hiro asked, "Shu and I are getting fired." He inhaled his smoke, ah. He inhaled his smoke, enjoying the lungful of his choice of stress reliever. Hiro felt vastly entertained when he noticed Eiri's hand twitched in reaction to his words. No matter how much the student tried to hide his displeasure, there was no concealing it.

"I don't care for rumors," the student replied smoothly.

Hiro grinned, about to reply 'of course you don't' but was suddenly interrupted by the tip tapping noise of someone's fast approaching steps. The sound of the footfalls made a distinct sound… the sound made by the principal's lined leather soles..

"Shit," Hiro cursed, doing exactly what teachers were not to do --especially with a student. Knowing it was too late to put out his smoke, he shoved the supposedly confiscated pack of cigarettes along with his still lit stick, into Yuki's hands.

It was just in the nick of time before Tohma rounded the corner.

"Eiri-san," the principal began, staring at Yuki's cigarettes, "I've already told you not to smoke at school and I've expected you to be even more discreet since, but," he stared at Eiri's hands, "Smoking two cigarettes at once…perhaps I should refer you to a counselor."

Yuki merely turned away and pocketed his cigarettes, putting out the lit ones and entering Shuichi's room.

Tohma shook his head and turned to Hiro, "Nakano-sensei. I suppose you and I have both the same guess as to the whereabouts of your students?"

Hiro, still surprise at what he'd just got away with, nodded and followed the principal into Shuichi's class.

They were surprised at first, to see Tohma's black clad self enter the room but as soon as they realized it was their principal, all students stood up and gave a quick bow, glumly saying, "Good morning principal."

Immediately students attacked him with questions.

"Principal Seguchi is it true that you're firing Shindou sensei?"

"Why?"

"Don't do that! Don't fire Shindou sensei!" and some even added, "And Nakano sensei too!"

The principal allowed the students to get their questions out before finally smiling, eyes glancing over where Shuichi and Hiro stood side by side.

After the noise level receded, Tohma opened his mouth and addressed, "I had come this morning to Nakano sensei's class to speak with him about a matter, planning afterwards to head to Shindou sensei's room," at that he heard a series of gasps from the audience and continued, "instead I found an empty classroom." He smiled his charming smile, "I suppose it's better to find it that way instead of a room full of dead corpses…however, I didn't plan to come to class four hoping to rob them of their teacher. Current, and or ex."

Tohma walked to the very front of the room as he added,

"Actually, I came to discuss about the upcoming Fall Festival. As I recall, was it not the juniors who were in charged last year? Making it the seniors' responsibility to plan out the whole occasion this year."

The students glanced at each other, certainly surprise and ashamed that they had forgotten such an important occasion.

"The local residences around here are quite excited. We have quite a few art majors graduating this year," he glanced at Hanako a noted gifted student whom Tohma acknowledged, who blushed furiously, "and theatre majors along with interns. They'll expect this year to be yet the best. I've come simply to ask for the students' plans from the teachers. Nothing more."

"But what about you firing K!" one of the students called out.

"As K may have mentioned," and Tohma's brow twitched with irritation that he was not in control of the news and situation, "'disposing…until the problem is solved' it is not permanent, and for your relief, K is the only necessary one to take off of school duty."

"Why is that?" Hiro asked.

"You will need to ask him yourself Nakano-san, but if I may suggest, it would be better for you all to focus on the upcoming festival and raise money to last us until I've further looked into our dilemma."

"I…I can do caricature for the festival and ch-charge for it." A shy Chinese student called.

One of Hanako's friends jabbed her on the side, "Hanako can sell paintings I'm sure."

"Yeah! And we can have stands!"

"Games!"

"Performances!"

As the students started shouting out their opinions, a small smile crept up the faces of the adults, the principal already seeing the prospects.

Tohma nodded with a slight bow, "I'm sure you'll all work it out somehow. I will need the report very soon, so…" he looked towards his employees, "Teachers, please continue with the planning. I won't be checking your teaching plans for this."

And with another nod, Tohma was gone. Leaving the students, and unknowingly a certain brother in law, quite relieved.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

"Wow Hiro, can you believe this? The students really came up with great ideas!" Shuichi exclaimed, reaching into the senior students' 'Jar of Ideas' Shuichi tugged at Hiro's arm, causing the man to drop a piece of his lunch, "Look, this one says 'divide campus and rent out spaces to other students in school, students give rental money and a certain percent of earned money from the festival. The better the space location, the bigger the price."

Hiro whistled at the idea, "That's some kid that came up with that."

"Yuki Eiri." Shuichi whispered, the name rolling in his mouth like sweets.

Hiro marked Eiri on the grade book and chuckled, "Well he was some kid." The red head stared at his best friend and nodded, "You may keep the note. What are you going to do? Write in your journal 'Yuki cares for me' and paste it in there?"

Shuichi blushed. That was what he'd just been planning…but…he could staple it instead! Shu drew another paper from the jar and smiled,

"Hiro, this one says that a group of kids wants to perform, like a music festival. Singing, dancing…there's even a band here!"

"Oh that." Hiro responded, "Yeah, a group of music majors, and some willing students want to try it out. Most of those kids I teach in music hour. Some of them are in your class too."

"Wow." Shuichi mumbled, breath taken from the very idea of kids pursuing their musical dreams, "I didn't know since Tohma had me teach music appreciation to the freshmen's and they don't know much."

"Maybe Tohma assigned you to them so that you could corporate your style with them. Anyways," Hiro patted Shu, "they've already asked me to watch them practice today, and you've been invited by me. How about it?"

"But…Hiro." Shuichi hesitated.

"It'll be okay." Hiro said, and as the matter wasn't open for anymore discussion, he drew another idea.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

When Eiri drove in that morning to school, he really hadn't expected anything new to shock him. It seemed that for the short time he'd spent with his man, they've run into more problems than what could pass up as 'coincidence. From all the misunderstandings and right down to the people who tried to pry them apart, they've had more than their fair share of troubles, but nevertheless the teen was holding on to their relationship as hard as he could.

But that morning nearly took half of his life expectancy hearing that 'Shuichi was about to be fired next to that Nakano character- which he could care less about. But not Shuichi. The first thing in his mind had been, 'What's going to happen if his lover did get fired?'

After inwardly hyperventilating, his cold self came back and his more rational mind started thinking of the positive outcome out of the whole ordeal. Shuichi wouldn't have to be a teacher in school...which would mean that they'd less likely get in trouble if caught in a relationship. _That_ was most certainly something good right?

Then he blew it out of proportion when he passed one of the students saying, "Shuichi sensei may be moved off to a different country!"

Yuki almost raised hell. Then Tohma cleared things up rather nicely, and for the rest of school hours, his mind had been at ease. Now, all he wanted was to go home and wait for Shuichi, hoping his lover would stop by later.

"Yuki-san."

Eiri raised his head and found himself staring at Tohma's secretary.

Sure that she had his attention, Noriko pointed towards Tomah's office and said, "The president wanted to see you real quick. He said he needed to discuss with you something very important." Still staring at him and not giving him much of a choice, Eiri turned towards his brother in law's office and entered.

"Eiri!" Tohma greeted, putting down the paper he was in the middle of reading.

"What did you need to talk about Tohma? I'm in a hurry."

The teal eyed principal pouted, "Aw, I thought assuring you that Nakano and Shindou sensei are staying would put you at ease. But I guess as always you care not for your teachers."

"Damn right." Liar.

"Now, I wanted to talk to you about your CLA paper that you've turned in." Tohma opened a drawer from his desk and retrieved a nicely treated piece of paper, "This was quite nice. I'm so very impress. Its abstract and catchy."

"Hn."

The man continued to say, "I just wanted to congratulate you...I think it's a winner...you know that the judges will be in the festival? It's the perfect time to turn this into...something incredible. I'm sure we could put yours, and along with the other competing students' work somewhere behind glass. Yes?"

Eiri frowned. It seemed that there was something missing.

"However, I think there is something missing."

"A song." Eiri finally said, when Tomah's eyes continued to look at him, he headed towards the door, calling back, "It's like a lyric."

"Eh?" Tohma replied. Shocked, "Is that so? How are you going to make this into a song?"

"Don't care." the student replied, he glanced over his shoulder and added, "As long as each and every single word is in the song, it doesn't matter. I'm sure...you can figure something out."

"But Eiri I don't-" however, the teen heard none of it as the door shut.

As soon as he was out of the room, Eiri finally felt something uplifting his soul. He never meant to care so much, but the song just had to be perfect...and Tohma along with his group would do just that.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

"He we are." Hiro grunted, pushing against the stadium door, while Shuichi followed close behind his guitar. Already they noticed that students have started setting up on stage, their instruments propped up, among the many were drums, violins, microphones and synthesizers. Then there were drama majors scurrying about with their costumes, not to mention the extra handful of students already decorating the place for the festival due in a week.

"Wow. They're dedicated." Shuichi murmured, his spirit flamed to its highest degree.

Hiro noticed his best friend's trembling nature at the sight of the stage, eyes glittering in ecstasy as they made their way closer to the instruments.

"Nakano sensei!" one of the boys onstage called, waving a hand while the other hooked up a cord on his electric guitar.

"We're all ready to perform a sample for you sensei!" One of the girls cried, snapping at the side for one of her friends to zip her costume quickly.

"Okay." Hiro called back, setting his guitar down and taking a seat at one of the felt cushions, "I guess we'll start with the drama team, and then we'll move on to the bands."

"Alright!" the students cheered enthusiastically, raising fists before they got in line for their performance.

Shuichi watched in deep fascination at the drama team. Their plays were nothing but five minute short, but the movements of their dance were so captivating, others, with their monologue so meaningful- it felt like Shuichi would burst into pieces! And even then, all this performance would still excite him to great measures!

After every brief show, Hiro and a few others added their comments, from praise to creative criticism. It seemed like heaven for any kind of artist.

Next came the bands, some played rock songs, others played soft and slow music, some modified music that already existed and then there were few who made their own song. One band in particular had made a full five minute duet song, complete and rehearsed...but, couldn't be performed to the teachers because they lacked a second partner to accompany their girl singer. The band had started packing when Hiro caught sight of them and asked,

"Hey, where are you guys going?"

The students looked up at him and shrug, the drummer offering the explanation, "Teacher, we don't have our second singer. We thought he'd show up today, but he came down with a fever."

"Huh," Hiro replied quite disappointed- until he heard a loud,

"AMAZING!!"

Hiro turned where the loud voice came from, unsurprisingly from his best friend who had scooted two seats up towards the stage with loving praise to the band. Hiro smiled and patted the student's crazy haired head, "Would it be okay if we made a substitute for now?"

"Uh...ye-yeah." The group mumbled, looking at each other curiously.

Hiro jogged away from the students and came up to his friend, placing an arm over his neck, grinning and asking, "Hey, how would you like to be a hero?"

"Hero?"Shuichi asked.

"Uh huh."

"Um...su-sure." Shuichi agreed, unknowing what he'd gotten himself into.

Without another word the long haired guitarist gave the kids a thumbs up, saying, "Go set up a microphone for this guy here! You're about to hear the voice of an angel!"

"WH-What?!" Shuichi cried. Pulling away from him, "Heck no! I can't sing Hiro! Hiiiiiirrrroooooooooo!" and despite the man's protest Hiro dragged the pink bubblegum up stage and threw him in the spotlight. "I don't know the song Hiro! I can't sing! Hiro!" panic was evidence in the man, the children suddenly doubting what Nakano sensei's chosen 'substitute.'

"Now Shuichi you wouldn't want to let these kids down would you?" Hiro asked, taking the band's script and handing it to him. He smiled as his guilt trip card worked it wonders, Shuichi's opposing shoulders suddenly sagging as the man sighed in submission and shook his head.

God, Shuichi didn't even know if he could sing anymore! Embarrassing himself as a kid was one thing, but to do this in front of students?

Shuichi didn't get to think much anymore as the guitars came in, the girl had already started her part. It was clear, by the way she was singing, that Shuichi's voice was suppose to over power hers, her own purposively becoming a whisper. If Shuichi would start, that is. 

With one last glance at Hiro, Shuichi opened his mouth.

At first his voice came as a whisper, tumbling around with the words and the pitch, yet closing eyes, the teacher's mouth opened wider, opening air to his throat and voice climbing high until with great perfection touched the note written on paper. His words became clear and loud, and pretty soon, the students on stage found themselves frozen in shock, the girl's voice drowning and drowning until finally she just stopped to marvel at the stimulating voice. And even though the others have long ceased, Shuichi, completely lost at the melody his own self only heard, continued on.

Not very far into the song, all heads in the hall started turning towards the stage. The groups that have been packing seemed frozen in time. The decorators' ornaments left forgotten, theatre costumes dropped to the ground- and Shuichi's voice flowed through them, ear catching, heart wrenching passing them and sliding from the cracks beneath the door, echoing down the school hallways and turning several heads in all direction, wondering where that sudden voice had come from.

One in particular a Principal who was leaving for home but instead halted on his ground. His teal colored eyes closed, mind clutching on to perfect voice, uplifting, calming and teasingly tugging on the heartstrings…it seemed such a long since Tohma's heard something like this, it seemed like he was back to a decade ago when Ryuichi, Noriko and he had still been a team.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

"Bye guys!" Shuichi waved, blushing as the last of his adoring students finally decided to dismiss themselves for home. Only when they were out of sight he stared up at Hiro with big purple sparkly eyes, tears of merriment spilling everywhere, "Oh Hiro!" he said jauntily.

"See? I told you, you can sing!" His best friend replied, patting the mess of pink hair and locking the door to the auditorium.

"I've…I've never felt so alive!!!" Shuichi cried, running next to Hiro, "Wow. I'm pretty sure I didn't even get the melody of the song right, but it was still fun to sing!"

Before Hiro could reply, the intercom suddenly turned on and Tomah's calm voice rang out, "Shindou sensei, Nakano sensei, please report to my office immediately."

Glancing at each other, the two made their way to Seguchi Tomah's office. Quite surprise when the man's first question had been,

"So you sing Shindou-san?"

Shuichi shifted nervously on his feet, "Um…not really. Ju-just-"

"Yes he does." Hiro replied confidently, patting the pink haired man on the shoulder, "Shuichi could always sing."

Tohma stared at the two for a moment his eyes falling on Shuichi's heart shaped face, "I see. I never knew the talent was shared in the genes. Much like your cousin."

"E-eh?" Shu squeaked, "No! Not at all…Ryuichi is…Ryuichi is better."

Hiro was well aware of the sudden drop of note at the last three words.

Tohma in the other hand smiled in amusement and shook his head, "Regardless, I've had a small sample of your talent, and it's outstanding. Therefore, I'd like to make a special request." his eyes moved to Shuichi, "Nakano-san, you play the guitar, correct?"

"Uh, yes." Hiro replied.

"As I recall, you and Shindou-san are very good friends? Dating way back to high school." when he received a nod as conferment, he continued, "I'd like to assign you both as the second group to play next to the encore in the festival during the music hour."

"Ah-" Shuichi and Hiro started, but were unable to say anything.

_For real? I get to sing in front of people? During the festival?_ Shuichi thought, his heart beating twice the normal rate.

"With your voice, and Nakano's guitar, you both should be splendid- however, you're also missing the key part. A synth."

"Oh. I can play the synth." Shuichi interjected, his idea immediately shot down.

"That's no good." The principal replied, "A singer should focus on singing. Despite contributing to the song writing, and rearranging it- singing is the main concern."

"Well…then, now what Seguchi-san?" Hiro asked.

With an angelic smile, Tohma leaned back forward on his desk, twining his hands together before saying, "It's quite late. Don't worry yourselves over this, I've the perfect synth player to assign to you." A moment of silenced passed by before Tohma concluded, "I think this will be quite an arrangement for the festival. Why don't you both go home and start on your song?"

And exchanging one last eye contact to each other, the two teachers turned to their heels and exited the room. Tohma himself was again ready to leave when his eyes caught Eiri's paper he'd forgotten to put away. With a smile and once again yielding to his brother in law's wishes, Tohma picked up the paper and pocketed it.

_Better get to work._ He thought.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Eiri opened his eyes upon the squeaking noise of his door which his sleep-dulled brain alerted to him quickly that 1) It's opening, and 2) the unmistaken presence of his clumsy lover walking in and tripping right at the pair of slipper Eiri had put out for him.

"A-ouch!" he heard his Shu-chan groan. Eiri listened intently at the soft tip toeing footsteps, still a little woozy from being suddenly woken up from sleep. He listened as the teacher plodded over toward him where he lay on the couch, wondering if there was enough light so that he could be--

There was a soft thump and Eiri groaned at the light weight that had unexpectedly jumped on his back. --seen. Or not.

"Yu-Yuki?" Shuichi asked in silent horror. The man felt around the dark and figured on his own that indeed he'd just jumped on his man's back...rather carelessly. Quickly Shuichi pushed up so that he was straddling the slowly shifting teen.

The student groaned and opened his eyes, changing from his stomach to his back, looking up at his mischievous teacher, and quite aware of the fact that Shuichi was straddling him just right above his groin. His hands immediately moved to Shuichi's hips.

"Hey Yuki." Shuichi mumbled, bending down and kissing Yuki's forehead, sliding down to his chin.

"Mm." Yuki responded, kissing him back full on the lips, tugging Shu lower to him by the collar. The blonde relaxed against the couch as soft hands glided gently over his face, cupping his cheeks as the thumbs ran up and down in gentle motions, soft lips kissing his temples and eyelids.

Shuichi buried his head in his lover's neck and inhaled his scent, turned on but at the same time quite fond of the quiet moment, both he and his lover too afraid to touch the fragile time together; dispelling any anxiety from earlier.

Then Shu's stomach grumbled in rebellion for lack of food.

"Yuki I'm hungry." Shuichi murmured, half embarrassed.

Rustling the older man's hair, Yuki pushed up on the cuddling man before saying, "There's food in the kitchen." and watched with an unknowing smile as Shuichi bounded like a dog towards the food-source.

"Wah!" Shuichi cried, taking a seat and taking up an empty plate, filling it shamelessly with the variety of food laid out on the table.

Eiri's head poked in the kitchen upon hearing the noise, "What?" he frowned at the man stuffing his face full, shrugging, "it's just extras from earlier." But Shuichi knew better and just kept eating, saying in between,

"Yuki-kun's so kind!!!"

"I said extras!!!" Yuki retorted, sitting down from across the man.

Shuichi took a drink from his cup of tea and smiled. _Wow,_ he wondered, _how many people know this caring side of Yuki? I__'__m so lucky to be cooked for by Yuki, and not only that, I also get to kiss him and be his lover!_ Shuichi unknowingly hugged his plate and squealed inside, _Yuki__'__s so cool!_

"Brat." Yuki finally after having noticed the odd glances from his lover, "What are you looking at?"

Shuichi nearly jumped. "No-nothing!" he replied, "Ju-just….just wanted to say thanks, I was really hungry." and Shuichi smiled so sweetly the student couldn't berate the sensei for accusing him of doing an act of kindness.

Now Eiri himself was famished.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Their labored breathing echoed in the room and resonating with their pleasure, the panting a rhythm to which they moved.

They'd been at it for hours and were, if Yuki-kun's intensity and his own happiness were any indication, very close to utter satisfaction. His posterior finally taking note of pain, Shuichi knew he wouldn't last any much longer.

"Yukiii…" Shuichi whined, despite the fiery pleasure, his nails digging at his student's back, "do it…ge-gently" but his words were lost to his lover who knew they were both almost to their high.

Despite the protest Eiri thrust rhythmically inside his man with brutal force, hitting Shuichi's love spot over and over again, making the man shiver and cling unto him like there was no tomorrow. Shuichi's tightness twitched around him, forcing through waves of pleasure. 

"Ah. Ah! Aah Yuki!" Shuichi finally cried, releasing his passion between them.

Eiri let out a hoarse groan at the exquisite hold Shuichi closed on him inside and the groan rose into a cry as he was thrown into climax. When the intensity subsided he collapsed atop his lover, moaning through the after-shock of passion.

"Yuki." Shuichi whispered in awe. With all the sexual activities he and Yuki had engaged on, he'd thought that by now they'd get sick of it, instead, their lovemaking had done nothing but get better and better, more satisfying, each time. It was just all the more pleasurable to him.

After several minutes, Yuki carefully withdrew, and Shuichi allowed himself to cuddle to his lover. Hugging Yuki's arm, the teacher smilingly breathed in the scent of their lovemaking and sweat.

"Hey, guess what." Shu asked.

In response Eiri sat up and reclined against the pillow, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it.

Shuichi, undeterred, propped himself up by the elbows and grinned at his handsome, glowing lover, "I've been asked to sing at the Fall Festival." Shuichi allowed a cloud of smoke to pass by before lying on Yuki's side and murmuring, "I've always wanted to sing."

The student paused, looking down at the adult before inhaling his smoke again.

"Ne, Yuki. You know how it feels right? I mean, you've always wanted to write…right?" 

"Not really." The student replied passively, quietly putting out his cancer stick. 

"O-oh." Shuichi mumbled, asking softly, "How come-" but he'd forgotten the question as soon as his student engaged him into a kiss, softly teasing his lips with persistent tongue presses.

"Go to sleep." Yuki chided, opening his arms to the man who couldn't resist but scoot closer for cuddling.

"Ok." Shuichi said, and kissed Yuki's chin before finally falling asleep.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

All throughout the next two weeks the fourth year students worked hard on preparing for the Fall Festival which had been decided they would hold all throughout a Saturday. With the worry of their teachers getting fired out of the way, the students strived hard in renting out some of the school spaces to students, planning games, listing down booth volunteers, finding decorators to calculating every cost to fit their budget.

Next came to _actually_ making the dream to reality. Fortunate for them, there were some engineering seniors and juniors who'd been willing to work a plan for the booths and creating it using the school's stock. The others who didn't have such talents found their personal strength in other things. 

Hiro's students, Mishito and Akidomo, a pair of animation geeks, created ten fifteen minute long anime shows designed for children in their own computers at home.

A group of girls from class two researched a handful of games and started setting them up.

From Shuichi's class 3-7 A girl named Miyu with four other girls and five boys decided on doing talent shows that varied from singing and dancing right to the battle of the bands. Some even monologued from Shakespeare's works.

Aside from the student's activities, the teachers themselves were busy. Two in particular who've been staying later and later after school in practicing their song- Shuichi and Hiro. It was the third day into the week when both teachers were introduced to Fujisaki Suguru.

"Are you serious? This kid?!" Shuichi exclaimed, rather appalled that Seguchi introduced such a…_young_ boy to play their synth.

"Yes." The principal nodded, placing a hand on the green haired kid's shoulder, "This is Fujisaki Suguru. After much searching, I found your perfect synth player. You'll find him quite befitting for the position.

"Sweet." Hiro commented, grinning at the young boy, "What are you? Senior?" he asked, quite unsure since the pale smooth face and his uptight outfit of vest over a white dress shirt and black pants clashed against each other.

"Junior year." Suguru corrected, holding out a hand smilingly, "I'm sixteen years old and an intern for Seguchi-san. Please take good care of me as I'll be working with you from now on."

And thus there were three of them. For the first day Shuichi had been reluctant in working with this 'Suguru' character, having already disliked that his own employer had thought the kid had bested him on the synth. Apparently, upon hearing the new arrangement that Suguru had formed on the spot after Hiro and Shu gave him a sample of their performance…Shuichi had to agree that Tohma had been right in thinking so.  
After that, life had been smooth throughout the week.

Not counting on Shu's suffering love life of course. The late rehearsals, running about to help the students from one end of the campus to the other, there was no time to stop at his beloved Yuki's house! Shu had mulled over the thought of somehow limiting his practice, but his voice, Hiro had commented, was out of practice. And with Fujisaki's and his best friend's comments on 'losing his untrained voice in the middle of performance' Shuichi submitted to their will, and always ended up too tired to visit his lover.

Of course it was a shared responsibility. Lately his Yuki had been brushing him aside as well. Un-confiding what 'he had to attend to' instead of giving time to his much missed lover Shu for a tiny kiss or two. When Shuichi persisted on knowing, Eiri would just pushed him away and walk off with a crowd of girls, or guys, whichever was closest, more or less pissed at his curious love.

Shuichi finally gave up on prying and took comfort on the fact that after all of this was over, he and Yuki would revert back to normal. It's just a temporary thing…_right?_

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O 

Even though the day had been fast approaching, Seniors class 2,3, 3-7, 4, and 5 faced the Saturday morning of the Fall Festival with bright smiles. All the advertisements handed and posted all throughout the streets of Tokyo, to the homes of the local residents and on the internet- they succeeded on harvesting a good- no- great amount of attention and crowd.

All the teachers of Genesis felt they could relate that the making of the environment in such a short notice was like building the Berlin Wall all over again.

The game booths were successful, parked right up front of school where every children with a little bit of sense in them couldn't resist. Next to that was the small food districts scattered in several directions. Homemade slides for children, tug o' war games and even swimming contests inside the school!

While the children were busy with the games , the adults lingered about the souvenirs; one booth in particular very eye catching and impressive to the minds of the audiences. An Art Shop, hosted mainly my Hanako and aided by a few friends. In the first two hours into the festival, all of her abstract painting had sold and they had to take a two hour break so that Hanako could withdraw in the peace and quiet of school to create more.

When she came back with two paintings, the students (with Seguchi's uncanny suggestion) placed it up for auction- having acquired a far better result than merely selling it.

However, even with all of this going about, there was a large banner hung from atop the middle building on the school ground that caught everyone's eyes. In large letters the banner said,

'Come to our first held concert at three in the afternoon!' 

And hurriedly everyone paid close attention to the girls that now and then announced through the intercom, "Come to the Concert this afternoon at the west side of the school in the stadium made by our engineering and constructing department!' 

When the students performing in a 'talent show' inside closed with the announcements that they wanted to take a break to see the concert about to begin outside, the uninformed crowd quickly headed towards the external stadium to see the commotion. 

"Ten minutes till performance!" 

One of the senior directors warned the performers, among the many Shuichi, Hiro and Suguru. The teachers were more than relieved to see that they weren't the only teachers that had been asked to perform since a Bio sensei was also there preparing.

Shuichi peeked a little from the stage curtain and gasped at the crowd rapidly growing bigger and bigger that he swore it was at least a mile away. "Wow! That's sooo cool! Look Hiro!" 

And Hiro did look with a satisfied grin, saying, "That's quite a crowd. It's now like a concert Shu." but before the other man could respond, Suguru had already started dragging Shuichi towards the dresser, berating him,

"Look, you've already messed up your make up!" 

Hiro smiled from the sidelines, watching as his two other band members made a fuss over themselves, especially the youngest one. The red head had to give it to Tohma, the man was genius and in the short time that Fujisaki had been working with them, they were already better than before.

Hiro knew Shuichi's voice could finally shine without distraction. _No doubt the crowd will love us because of your voice…Shu._

And he was right.

As soon as Hiro, Shuichi and Fujisaki stepped out to the stage, the crowds hushed. Was this what they'd all been waiting for? A trio band?

But no one complained as soon as the first chord on the guitar was struck, Fujisaki's keyboards ringing loud and clear through the speakers- and Shu's voice only took them to the top- the crowd was at awe. No one spoke a word, their breaths caught in their throats, the spectacle so great and unbelievable.

Fujisaki hardly noticed that as time went on, his fingers began to slow, and pretty soon, all he could hear was Shuichi's singing. He looked away from his keyboard and watched the man on the mic, voice reaching out to the crowd far and wide. The intern student rarely wished for anything, but ever since he was young he'd always wanted to become a keyboardist, and not just a keyboardist, but one that belonged to a group that was ready to put their hearts out to music.

Who knew Tohma still remembered his little boast at a family reunion so long a time ago?

Before long, Suguru noticed he stopped playing along with Hiro who just stood by him, also spellbound.

Shuichi in the other hand didn't notice. His eyes were open, but all his mind was thinking of was his lover, Yuki. The blonde, sharp eyed lover of his who was perfect in every way.

_I hope you hear this Yuki,_ the singer thought, squeezing the mic's handle and bringing it closer to him, _This for you Yuki. For you only._

Tilting his head back, Shuichi sang the last words in perfect acapella—

_"__When I woke up from the countless wishes, you are reflected in a shimmering illusion -- the silhouette whose faint smile leads me along.__"_

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Tomah's head raised in the dressing room as a loud boom shook the very ground beneath him. His smile spoke of familiarity with that noise. The sound of being worshipped by people on stage. The screams, shouts and whistles…

"You look good." Noriko said, stepping inside and sitting on the couch next to the man. She smiled at the man's rather loose clothing, much like a rock stars' but not as outrageous as her tube top and glitter sprayed shoulders, "The kid's pretty good. Makes you wonder why he's a teacher."

"They are good." Tohma said, straightening himself, "But I'm afraid…they're not the stars of this show." His teal eyes traveled slowly to the table with a pink rabbit standing on it, "Hm, Ryuichi?"

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O 

"Haha. I guess…we…were okay?" Suguru said, rather out of breath after running off the stage and dodging pieces of candies that had been thrown at them.

Shuichi and Hiro however dragged to the back of the stage with heaps of sweets in their arms, the shorter of the two cackling in a maniacal manner as he waved good bye to the crowd, smiles and all.

"Loosen up," Hiro replied, patting Suguru on the shoulder, "Yes, we did rock. I liked the idea of letting Shu sing on his own. Pretty brave and unique live arrangement." Hiro chuckled as the boy blushed.

"Wow! Hiro did you see that! They loved us!" Shuichi cried, throwing his candies in the air.

Hiro nodded, knowing how pumped up and excited Shuichi was. There was no speaking to the man now.

"And the parents liked our performance! We even-" but the sensei stopped in mid-sentence. Everything around him left forgotten as he looked across the stage from behind the curtains, and right at the other side was Yuki.

Yuki.

"Shindou-san?" Suguru questioned at the abrupt halt.

But all was lost again to Shuichi. _W-what is Yuki doing here? Why is he here? He asked himself, Did he hear the song? Did he like it? Did he come to congratulate me? Oh Yuki! Yuki__'__s staring back at me!_

And Indeed Yuki was staring back at him. While Shu's thoughts ran wild, Yuki in the meanwhile just stared at the man, his mind already smirking at the fact that he'd known Shu could sing more than well far before anybody-save for Hiro- could've known.

The blonde caught his teacher's eyes and felt anxiety attack him. Buddha, his man looked so delicious with those wide purple jewels, sweat trickling down his tanned skin and slender neck. So adorable and his entirely.

"Eiri-san?"

The student shook a little and looked up at the man that had interrupted his moment of bliss. When Tomah's gaze returned his questioningly, he shrugged the man's hands on his shoulder and nodded.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

_Seguchi-san?_ Shu wondered, curious what the exchange between the two were. Oh he wished he was with Yuki right now! _Argh. I just want to go home with Yuki already!_ The sensei anguished despite Suguru's confused look.

"Ah…don't think about this too much." Hiro said, trying to distract the intern, "Shu is just a little…energetic."

"Hey guys!!!" Everyone turned to see an armed K walking right behind them, dressed in his combat suit.

"Oh, K-san." Suguru responded, "Do you know why the Principal's here?"

"Oh, you guys didn't know? Tohma signed up as the encore for today's show, he and his band Nittle Grasper."

"What?!" the teachers cried, only to turn their eyes to the stage when they heard loud shouts.

All of them watched in wonder as the principal, wearing a loose white vest and tight black pants walked up the stage, shortly followed by his assistant Noriko and-

"Ryu." Shuichi whispered.

Hiro heard Shu's gasp and followed his friend's eyes that fell on a tall brown haired man, walking from the back stage, dressed in a brown leather vest open in the middle and showing skin with matching pants.

Hiro and Suguru glanced at each other at the apparent mixed emotion on their friend's face as the student announcer called,

"For the encore ladies and gentlemen, we have an unexpected entry from our very own Principal Seguchi, Ukai Noriko-san and Sakuma Ryuichi!"

As the names registered, the crowd turned about to each other and muttered Ryuichi's name, asking if it was truly the famous singer from the Nittle Grasper band that Tohma and Noriko had been rumored to belong in.

As if reading all of their minds, Tohma took the mic handed to him and smiled graciously, saying,

"Our appearance today may have seemed inconceivable to my mind before two weeks ago, but we're here through some strange gravitational pull, and today our performance is solely focused on one song that was created by one of our students in this very academy. We hope that after today you'll never forget our talented students and teachers along with out last performance."

Noriko hooked her ear mics and shouted, "Ready!"

And just like that with a simple wave of a hand, Tohma returned behind his synth, his fingers running across the right keys in unison with Noriko. The light inside the dome turned off and beams of red light started shooting in all directions, meeting in the middle of the stage to illuminate Ryu's brilliance even more.

At the first sound that escaped his cousin's mouth, Shu's body as well with others shook heavily, goosebumps appearing beneath their clothing.

_"__The motion of imprisonment in a bed of glass_  
_that is first broken by the fumbling of a lady__"_

Shuichi's arms quivered at the powerful, familiar, words. Where has he heard this before? Or seen?

_"__a loose collection of feathers with a tail of soliday_  
_that almost screams the innocence desired at night__"_  
It was so pretty and so touching, no words could penetrate his heart like this unless…it was a song written by someone close to him, who knew how to use words correctly with the right rhythm…

_"__dancing through freedom and lies in the mood of depression_  
_fragile puzzle pieces that break away from this course__"_

Yuki.

_"__Kiss shining, we're kissing in my eyes_  
_Melting away even the flower petals in our way_  
_Make me shining, changing into the most exciting colors_  
_That first shone in a vision_  
_the field of view excels the dimension of panorama_  
_a perfect mimesis that can only tremble__"_

Upon the gut feeling that his lover made the song and non other, Shuichi couldn't understand why he felt so heavy inside, as if a ton of brick had been dropped in him and he had to bear all of the weight. "Why do I feel like this?" he whispered, his hand slowly coming to his chest, his cousin's voice becoming louder and louder, surrounding him.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

_"__Mommy I want to become a singer one day! Like Ryuichi! He can sing great ne?__"_

_"__Now now, leave the entertainment business to the Sakuma child, We only need one singer.__"_

_"__Your mother__'__s right. We need someone in this family who can be something serious.__"_

_"__Why don__'__t you become a brain surgeon?__"_

_"__Or an accountant.__"_

_"__Over music?! Yuck!__"_

_"__Why not be a teacher?__"_  
O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

_Kiss shining, imitating loneliness_  
_Cutting into space with entwined regret_

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O  
_"__Music is no way to go. It__'__s not consistent.__"_  
O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

_Make me shining, fragments of my scattered heart_  
_A radiance that surpasses hope_  
_Red soaked fingertips dye the atmosphere with fluttering butterfly tears_  
_And all is turned to sand..._

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O  
_"__That Sakuma boy can really sing. He__'__ll be a great singer. A famous one at that.__"_

_"__What about you boy? I__'__m sure you want to be something too. What do you want to be when you grow old?__"_

_"__A teacher.__"_

_"__Eh? I thought you wished to be a singer?__"_

_"__ A teacher.__"_

_"__My, that__'__s wonderful son! Don__'__t cry! You__'__ll be a decent man who can provide for a family and be home at the same time.__"_

_"__Your face is all wet now, go wash up.__"_  
O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

_Shining, make you cry_

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

_"__Your home late.__"_

_"__I was at Ryu__'__s concert.__"_

_"__Singing again?__"_

_"__Yeah.__"_

_"__Shuichi. You__'__re in high school now, you need to stop all this late night wondering about and straighten up if you want a nice job. Your mother and I won__'__t be here forever to provide to you. Stop following your cousin about, things are already made up for him because of his talent.__"_

_"__I have it too. If you give me a chance to sing.__"_

_"__Hm? What was that?__"_

_"__Nothing. I was only kidding. I__'__m going to be a teacher after all.__"_

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

_Kiss shining, we're kissing in my eyes  
Melting away even the flower petals in our way_  
_Kill me shining, changing into the most exciting colors_  
_That first shone in a vision_

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

"Shuichi, are you okay?" Hiro asked, nearing his friend, he heard a faint sob escape from the man, "Shu?"

Suguru looked directly unto the unusually sad sensei and saw tears pouring lightly from the corner of his eyes, hidden cleverly by the dark, "Shindou-sensei?"

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O  
_"__I think you__'__re a great singer, sensei.__"_  
O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Eiri looked up just in time to see his lover run off from the stage and out the exit way. A frown accumulated quickly on his brow, and excusing himself, he too left.

K watched at the peculiar sight when he saw Tomah's brother in law break into a run after the exit and had half the mind to follow him when his eyes caught something familiar sitting right at the very front of the stadium.

However, upon the mistake of blinking, it was gone.

_I thought I saw…_ K shook his head, _Nah. Can__'__t be._

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

_Please don't cryin', imitating loneliness_  
_Cutting into space with entwined regret_  
_Make me shining, fragments of my scattered heart_  
_A radiance that surpasses hope_

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Shuichi sniffed shamelessly as soon as he was out the stadium, it seems that everyone was in the little dome after all, a few and none in sight, souls left outside. His sneakers padded silently against the ground, his sobs breaking out altogether, but the teacher didn't care- mind too preoccupied.

_Stupid! Stupid, stupid!_ He thought, one hand fisting on the front of his white over shirt, while the other ruining the make up on his face one and for all. The man was about to turn a corner when a hand from behind him shot forward and caught one of his wrists, turning him around to a hot-faced and panting teen.

"What's wrong?" Yuki asked point blank, withholding himself from name calling the teacher.

"Nothing." Shuichi replied with an attitude, pushing from the teen and taking a step away before getting pulled back. "I said nothing!!" Shuichi shouted, trying to hide his tears, and squirming from his lover's arms around him.

"Brat!" Yuki shouted, dodging a punch or two, "Stop squirming!"

"No! No!" Shuichi cried back, sniffing, "Why do you hate my voice so much?"

The student froze, "What?" 

"I said, that if you thought I needed to practice," Shuichi replied, burying his head on the teen's chest, and continuing in a crushed voice, "All you have to do is tell me."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Yuki replied honestly, "You're cra-"

"The song." Shuichi interrupted, the mere word making the teen shake his head.

"Unbelievable." Yuki said to him after the realization of what they were talking about dawned on him, "Is this about the song I wrote?" When Shuichi nodded and asked a small 'Did you' on his chest, the teen's hand slowly rested on the teacher's pink mess called hair, and inhaled a fresh scent of his lover before continuing, "Yes, I did write that song. But I didn't write it just for anybody. I wrote it for you, and I had Ryuichi sing it because I needed a voice that would deliver. I didn't want the song ruined by an ordinary voice. I-"

A flood of relief passed over the student when the teacher stopped shaking all over him, the tight grip on his shirt loosening- and for a moment he thought they were heading in a good direction when Shuichi suddenly pushed away and glared up at him angrily, the tears silent and still ongoing.

"Well I'm sorry!" Shuichi yelled with all his might, "I'm sorry that my voice wasn't good enough for you! And I'm sorry that Ryuichi seemed to have been a better choice over me!" Turning on his heel, Shuichi started running and shouted back, "Go marry Ryuichi you jerk!"

And before Yuki could retort anything equally childish, the man was gone in a trail of smoke.

Yuki stood unmoving from where he stood, his eyes blinking in confusion and shock refrained him from chasing the man even more. A single dreadful thought circling his head.

_Did we…Did we just break up?_

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Crying harder, and feet running faster to an unknown destination, the teacher sobbed even more. _Oh god! What had I just said?_ Shuichi thought frantically, _Now Yuki will never want to see me!_

"You stupid, moronic, teacher!" Shuichi cried at himself, stopping when he couldn't catch anymore breath.

Knees and back bent to almost a squat, Shuichi who was too preoccupied in his emotional state didn't see the person sneaking behind him with a large tool in hand- and when the teacher finally got the creepy feeling of being followed, he tried to turn and was met with a powerful blow on the head- knocking all breath and senses out of him.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Yuki returned to the festival with a rather gloomy aura about him, and Hiro who was just looking for Shuichi caught sight of him at the very moment, sauntering off to a stand who was selling a variety of cheesecake brands.

"Yuki-san!" Hiro called, coming up behind him as the teen ignored him and ordered a soft-crusted cheesecake, "Where's you wife?" he teased, taking one for himself and following the student to a bench.

The writer shrugged and sat down, the teacher following suit.

Hiro, prodding on, grinned at the senior student, "Well I thought it was so _romantic_ that you wrote that song for Shuichi." When the blonde glared at him, he defended, "Anyone could tell if they knew your relationship with him!"

If Eiri had taken a first bite out of the dessert, maybe he would have been able to take the teasing, but since he hadn't, his frustration suddenly erupted and he turned to the man, and snapped,

"If it was so great then why would Shuichi break up with me?" a few moments of silence passed by before Yuki began shoving the treat in his mouth.

Hiro couldn't just ignore what the teen had said. Surely he was mistaken! Shu would never break up with the grumpy, aspiring novelist!

"You're joking." But by the glare that Eiri shot at him (sending a flurry of crowd skidadling away) he interjected, "You're not."

The teen frowned at his half finished cake and took an irritated breath, ignoring the laughter all around him. "Shit." He cursed, "If I'd known he'd hate it so much, I wouldn't have written anything. Ungrateful brat." And the student didn't care how venomous his words sounded, he didn't even care if Hiro pummeled him to death that moment for criticizing the man.

Simply put he was too frustrated over the fact that his lover didn't even bother to give him a chance to explain!

A chuckle beside him broke his train of thought, and looking up, Yuki's frown deepened towards the sensei.

Amusement danced all around the teacher's gray eyes, "You're actually quite naïve when it comes to Shuichi. I had no idea it would be this bad." When the student continued to look at him for further explanations, Hiro lit a cigarette and said, "It's not that Shuichi hates your song. It's the way the song was produced." When Yuki's cold eyes didn't hint that he was getting what the man was trying to explain, Hiro sighed flatly, "Ryuichi is Shuichi's cousin. Remember?"

"Shit!" Yuki grunted, swiping his golden tresses out of his face, "I forgot all about that."

"Well don't ever forget again. Behind all his adoration for his cousin, Shuichi harbors a little jealousy too."

When Hiro saw that Yuki wasn't aware to any of the things he was telling him, he offered to the teen his and Shu's small secret,

"It's always been Shu's dream to sing and perform on stage all his life, but to Shuichi's mind Ryuichi had always been better at singing than him and that thought's been discouraging him for years on even though Ryuichi himself would agree that the kid could 'out-shine' him if he'd wanted to." 

The writer watched as a small regretful grin appeared on Hiro's face, listening on as the other continued,

"But instead of fulfilling his dreams, Shuichi was stuck as a teacher since he didn't want to be an accountant or a boring lawyer that his parents requested from him. So junior year he quit singing and started studying to become a teacher- I just came along for the fun of it, since my parents were nagging me to become a dentist." Blowing out a smoke, Hiro concluded, "We got into it and forgot music for a little while, and while Shuichi's parents were proud of their own son- Ryuichi was becoming a god at singing."

Yuki looked down at himself and inwardly beat himself. Why hadn't Shuichi told him any of these things? And why hadn't he noticed? When Hiro didn't give anymore as he hoped the man would, Yuki shook his head and grumbled,

"Why was I stuck with that brat?"

And Hiro shook his head, laughing, "Trust me, you wouldn't want to know from my point of view. Must be some crazy energy pulling you guys to each other." Catching the student's glare, the teacher laughed harder, pointing a finger at Yuki's chin and accusing, "You like him don't you? You really really like Shuichi!"

"No!" Yuki countered, opening his mouth, "I-" but he stopped. _Of course he liked Shuichi. Really really liked his adorable ex homeroom teacher._

Saving him, K's laughter interrupted them as the man jumped from the bush behind them.

"K-san!" Hiro cried, flabbergasted. Did the man hear them?

"Oh! Hey!" K waved, smiling a dreamy smile at the two, "Isn't Shuichi such a charmer?"

Hiro and Yuki looked up at him blankly.

K nodded, "Yeah! Even my wife Judy personally came here on her own to get the boy and sell him over to a competing academy for a TV special 'Chubo' edition!

"What?!" Hiro shouted, "Sell him as a teacher to a different academy?!"

"Yep! To the headmaster Rage!" At the last word K suddenly found himself pulled by the collar of his shirt towards a dark aura surrounded teen.

Yuki's eyes threatened to kill him as he uttered in a sharp tone, "What the fuck did you say?"

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Shuichi woke up and found himself in an unfamiliar room, yet rubbing his eyes over and over again didn't make the furry furniture, that certainly didn't belong to him, disappear. Slowly standing up, he made his way for the door when he heard two voices approaching.

Standing back, he watched as the door opened and revealed two women, one tall and blonde, the other short with red hair, both busy chatting and only stopping when they realized that a third party was looking back at them.

It crept out the teacher when the shorter of the two walked behind an oak desk and sat with a commanding vibe on the chair.

Shuichi rubbed the back of his head and grumbled, "My head hurts…"

The taller woman spoke immediately, grinning at him, "Sorry about that, I guess I was a little too rough!" but Shuichi didn't register any of the words as the voice seemed to click something in him.

Judy Winchester? K Winchester's wife?!" 

_Of course it is! I__'__ve been forced to watch all her movies by the said husband a million times!_

"And I'm Rage." The woman at the desk inserted, quite unpleased that she wasn't known. When all eyes was on her, she smiled at the man and asked, "You're at a different high school academy right now. Do you still remember me?" and she was quite pleased when the addressed teacher pointed a finger at her and shouted in horror,

"Of course I do! The crazy lady I interned for!!!" 

Rage nodded, "Yes. And now you're back and I'm here to make an offer of a lifetime." She smiled, "I want you, Shuichi, to perform in our festival tonight. If you do just that, I promise you'll have anything you desire that I have power over of."

When Rage saw the hesitation on the man's face, she glanced over at Judy who strolled behind Shuichi and encouraged, "Think about. If you play for us tonight and beat out all competition, you can have anything, Rage will supply you anything from singing to teaching at a big shot college. Here, U.S. it doesn't make a difference. You can also, if you choose, switch over and teach here."

"No!" Shuichi cried, taking aback the two mischiefs, "I don't want to teach here or anywhere! I want to go back!"

Rage sighed, snapping her finger, "Very well. But I'm sorry to inform you Judy, deals off, I won't be keeping my end of the deal since he doesn't want to work for me."

Shuichi literally saw a nerve pop at Judy's temple as she turned towards him, eyes red and all with an armed gun. She snatched his shirt and growled, "You will sing!" sending the man cowering.

"O-Of course I'll sing!" Shuichi cried, cooling her down enough for him to stare at Rage directly, saying, "But I won't switch schools, and I refuse any gifts of appreciation attached to this task! I'll sing, but I don't want to leave Genesis Academy, I love my class and class 4!"

"Of don't be silly. A young man like you can't know what you want yet." Rage said.

"No!" Shuichi replied harshly, "If you don't let me go Yuki will come and kick your butt!"

"Yuki?" Judy and Rage said in unison.

"Y-yeah!" Shuichi yelled, _damn it!_ He thought, trying to cover up his slip, "I mean Hiro too, or Suguru, or Tohma and all of my other students-eep!" At the last 'eep' Shuichi had found himself facing a very large and familiar bazooka.

"Listen well, Shuichi. I'll make you another deal!" Rage shouted, and fired.

"Eyah!!"

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

"Crazy…bit-" Shuichi began to think, stopping in the middle of the word and thinking, well I can't exactly say bitch.

After the massive explosion at the office, Rage struck another deal with him. And the fool Shuichi was accepted, even though in his gut he already knew that he might lose. It was true that Tohma was strictly was business man, and when Rage pointed that out to him, Shuichi was felt a little reluctant about his bet that someone would come after him.

One big reason was that Tohma himself was already preoccupied with solving the mystery of the sudden 'freezing' of the school's bank account. There was no way the man had time to go search for missing teachers too.

But Shuichi wasn't sad because Tohma (yuck) wouldn't come for him. He wanted only one person to come and save him like a prince in shining armor. He only wanted Yuki to be the only person to care.

"Shindou-sensei?" a student's voice knocked on the door, "Rage told us to come and tell you to go outside. She said to start singing."

"Alright, alright!" Shuichi called back, slamming the door open and stomping down the hall and outside the school yard.

"This way." The boy said, leading Shuichi to the back of a stage, "The currently playing band is almost over. Rage-san has hired two drifters to play the guitar and synth for you."

Nodding, Shuichi walked past him and behind the curtains. He peered out just to see a large crowd of students catering to adults and their children, bringing their order from the kitchen as if it really was a restaurant outside.

"And now, please give a hand to Shindou Shuichi, our lead vocalist tonight, ladies and gentlemen!"

As the claps echoed in the night, Shuichi allowed himself a moment to panic. Tonight he wouldn't sing as well. It wasn't Hiro playing by him, and he certainly wasn't in the mood to sing a love ballad written for the person he had just broken up with.

Taking a deep breath, Shuichi walked to the stage and staring down at his feet started for the mic. Taking it in hand, he froze on the stage. _It__'__s not Hiro who__'__s going to play the guitar. It__'__s not Suguru who__'__s playing the synth…_ And as if in confirmation, Shuichi looked over his shoulder to the man playing the starting for his song.

'Hey Shu' the man seemed to say, winking at the teacher. In return the strawberry haired teacher blinked and tried to disperse the hallucination away- but no matter what it was the man, was still…Hiro.

_Hiro?_ Shuichi cried inside, looking over the synth player who was also a familiar kid, _And Suguru? What are they doing here?_

A brick flew from the back of the stage, hitting Shuichi as Rage's voice hissed, "Sing!"

Looking out to the crowd, Shuichi gave a final smile to Hiro and Fujisaki before finally catching himself up with the instruments. Much like the effect in Genesis Academy, everyone became spellbound and stopped all of their tasks, the ordering customers' mouth hung wide open, eyes cast on the stage, the students dropping their pens and notebooks on ground, the children stopping before the stage.

The band were only in the middle of the song when a loud explosion broke all spells.

Hiro and Suguru grinned at each other upon the cue, knowing who it was that would appear in the midst of the smoke once it cleared.

"K!!!" Judy shouted in awe, "My husband!" 

And there K stood in his glory, magnum and all, a wide grin breaking his serious expression, "Sorry darling," he called to the table she sat in, "but this teacher's staying with us."

"If you can take him back, honey!" Judy cried back, standing on her stiletto heeled sandals, "Ark!" and with the word a gruff looking man in bodyguard suit landed in front of K, engaging him in a fight.

It wasn't long before another explosion broke out, and by then Rage had already rushed the guests towards the emergency exit of the campus, opening an underground tunnels and directing a student named Bill to lead the students underground.

The next explosion had been closer to the stage than what Hiro would have been comfortable with.

"Ah shit! K!" Hiro shouted, grabbing hold of Suguru and running off-stage, "Watch where you aim!"

K flew past with a "Soooorry!"

In mid-run the cinnamon haired teacher suddenly remembered why they came there in the first place and cursed as he looked back, "Shuichi!" but Shuichi was still on stage, his face buried on the space between his knees and chin. His shoulders shaking.

The chaos happening around them was lost to him.

"Oh Yuki." He mumbled to himself, "I'm so sorry for saying bad things to you. I'm so-" a hand suddenly touched his shoulder, interrupting his self abuse. Shrugging it away he continued to wallow in misery. When the hand returned, this time Shuichi slapped it away and looked up, shouting, "I'm not in the mood Hiro--" 

But for the millionth time that evening he was surprised again, this time facing his Yuki Eiri, not Hiro. Biting his lower lip, a fresh batch of tears began to start again, having reminded him of his cruelty towards his lover.

The teen's strong hand clamped tightly around the teacher's wrist, and without a word dragged Shuichi to his feet, pulling him off stage just in time as the platform exploded to smithereens. 

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Hauling him off the courtyard, Eiri retreated themselves into the school, pushing the door open and making their way down the hall, up a few flights of stairs and into a door leading to the rooftop of the school.

The student closed the door silently and rested against it before turning around to face his short lover, looking up at him in confusion.

"Why-why are you here Yuki?" Shuichi asked the frowning blonde, suddenly shaken up by the penetrating gaze his lover was giving him. Clutching the hem of his own shirt, Shuichi looked down and stammered, "I-I mean…I didn't mean…to shout at you earlier today."

Sniffing Shuichi looked up at him and continued,

"I can't be a good lover Yuki. I'm really sorry…we…we should be over…" and breaking into tears again began mumbling a soft mantra of apologies.

_"__Sorry.__"_

The tears stopped. That apology wasn't his.

Shuichi looked up at his grinning lover who was in the middle of lighting a cigarette, leaning coolly against the wall and saying in between puffs of smoke, "Not all lovers are perfect." Then as if the smoke lost its flavor, the student put it out and began again, "That song wasn't written to spite or evoke any reactions from you. Your voice is good, but the lyrics are crap.

"Hu-huh?" Shuichi asked dopily, suddenly straightening his back and running up to his lover, only having heard the apology part and insisting, "No Yuki! It wasn't your fault! It was me! It was my faul- mmphf!" 

_Oh Yuki, so sweet._ Shuichi thought. Yuki's tongue slipping in his mouth, tasting him and exchanging the taste of cheesecake.

When the teen finally let him go, he told the teacher, "I had Ryuichi sing it because the song was meant for you, not to sing, but to think about. I didn't want you singing it because I knew you'd be too worried about messing it up. I needed you to hear it coming _to_ you rather than from you because that song was from me." He tilted Shu's head and looked down at his lover's shining eyes, asking, "Do you understand?" 

And as if in answer, Shuichi suddenly threw himself on his lover, knocking both of themselves to the ground with him on top, arm wrapped around Eiri's neck and babbling, "Oh Yuki! I was just jealous! I loved it! I loved everything that you wrote about me and I didn't ever think in my life that I'd ever have music dedicated to me! I'm so sorry I pushed you away! I'm sorry that I wasn't grateful! I'm sorry that I let my temper run off with my brain!" 

Pushing back his golden hair, the writer stood themselves up and straightened their clothes, lastly wiping away Shuichi's tears, cradling his cheek with the other hand while he kissed the teacher, and resting his cheek afterwards on the heart shaped face. Shuichi smiled and whispered, "Yuki?" 

And Eiri, brow furrowing into a heartfelt smile made a soft, "Mm." in response.

"Are we still together? I don't want to break up with you anymore." 

Smiling even more, Yuki kissed the man's cheek and mumbled on him, "When did we break up? There's nothing to patch up." 

"You're sweet. You know that?" 

"Only because I've been rubbed off on stupid." 

Shuichi retorted back, enjoying the kisses he was showered with. He giggled a little before saying, "That's good then. Because I don't want Yuki with another person. I don't think I'll be able to handle it. And I'm glad I don't have to work for Rage. I get to stay with Yuki." 

"Mm." 

"I hope we stay together forever Yuki." Shu whispered, handing out his own kiss to his lover.

_Me too._ Yuki replied in his mind, but instead opted on holding the man by the waist and pulling him closer. Unknowingly leading them into a small dance with a soft song that was playing somewhere unknown to them.

_I__'__m so happy I don__'__t have to work for Rage…because you came for me Yuki._

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

"Whoa! Forbidden love!" Suguru, who was holding a pair of binoculars, mumbled in awe.

"Damn it K!" Hiro hissed upon hearing the record behind them play. "What kind of a song is that?" When he'd wished for a romantic song to aid the student in making up with the teacher, he didn't ask for it to come true!

K stared dumbly at him, "What?" he asked, turning the music loud, "It's Green Eyes baby! And besides," he took up his own binoculars and stared at it towards the lovers perched on top of the school, "They seem to be enjoying it."

'But K-" Hiro began again but was interrupted short by Suguru.

"Whoa! Look, they're disappearing from our view!"

As all three of them peered through their binoculars, their face slowly turning a deep shade of red as they saw Yuki's kisses on their fellow teacher's neck became persistent, the lovers tumbling back and vanishing behind the water dam wrapped in each other's arms.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

"Yu-Yuki." Shuichi gasped in surprise. Shocked as Eiri pushed him against the roof top fence, all the while raining him with lust filled kisses, his arms trapped on top of his head by the teen. Looking around and making sure no one was in sight, the teacher asked breathlessly, "Now Yuki?"

"Now." The student insisted, one hand pushing up Shuichi's shirt.

As soon as it fluttered to the ground, Shuichi asked in embarrassment, "Here?"

And with a nod, Yuki caught his mouth and pushed against him, letting the teacher's hands go as his own ran over the body beneath him, his left hand stopping on a nipple and pinching it mercilessly.

"Ah- Yuki!" Shuichi whispered sharply, arching himself up. Eyes opening seductively, Shuichi held Eiri's gaze as his hands gripped on the fence above his head, offering himself in all his wanton glory to the blonde. "Yuki." He husked, waiting for the onslaught of pleasure he knew only Yuki could give him.

"Mm. That's good." Yuki whispered hungrily, diving his head on the man's exposed stomach and licking a long trail from the navel to his right nipple, circling the nub teasingly before licking it thoroughly and taking it in-between his incisors, biting softly but hard enough to send sparks of delight running up Shuichi's spine.

"Yu- Yuki." The teacher tried to protest, "We can't do it here. Yu...ki." But all complaints and worries were gone when Eiri positioned himself on his knees spreading Shuichi's legs, his arousal evident even through the clothing.

Roughly Yuki groped his lover's ass, squeezing the perfect globes before unzipping the small man's cargo pants and sliding them carefully down, careful not to touch his lover's member before everything was off.

The singer's whole body turned a deep pink color at the scrutiny his sadistic lover placed him through while running a thumb on his erect member.

Pleased with the uncontrollable shudders his love was suffering from, Yuki parted his mouth on Shuichi's thighs and sucked until a purple mark formed.

Licking it once more for security measures, Yuki moved on.

"Oh Yuki." His lover mumbled as he took the member in his hand, giving it a firm squeeze while his left hand took Shu's testes and rubbed them together in circular motions; pumping his man's penis.

Soon enough the teacher's hips began to thrust up against Eiri, every thrust accompanied with an 'Ah!' all the while becoming more erratic and urgent.

Shu groaned desperately, knowing his climax was approaching fast.

"Yuki! Yuki! Yuki!" Shuichi began to repeat, soft at first but the last time coming in a scream. One arm letting go of the fence, the singer reached up for his man and brought him down flat on himself, sealing their lips together and thrusting up even more.

In return Yuki pushed down on him, lifting his weight a little as Shuichi pushed up and then again pushed himself down on the man, accommodating him. With quivering fingers Shuichi began to unbutton the teen's shirt, becoming more vocal as Eiri continued to hump him in a pleasurable manner, his genitals trapped in between their wild dance.

Unexpectedly Shuichi's orgasm built up faster than he thought it would, and seeing a strip of Eiri's pale flesh drove him crazy and over the edge, howling in delight as his milky essence erupted in between their bodies.

Panting in exhaustion, the two lovers stayed still, and it wasn't long before Eiri started moving again, kissing the man's neck beneath him and traveling upwards from his cheek to the forehead.

Giggling, Shuichi moved his hips up to his Yuki and asked, "You want to come inside me?"

"After two weeks of celibacy you still have to ask?" Yuki returned, kissing his chin.

"Mm." Shuichi mumbled, biting Eiri's sensitive ears and asking, "What do you want me to do then?"

Taking off his shirt and throwing it to the side, the younger man raised an eyebrow and said in a silvery voice, "I want you to stand. Then turn around and offer this to me." And in emphasis Eiri groped Shu's large globes and stood up, watching the man.

"Oh, like this?" Shuichi asked, facing the fence and grabbing hold of it, arching himself in a catlike manner before spreading his tanned legs wide, wriggling his butt to his predator.

"Yeah." Yuki replied, getting on his knees and pushed his tongue past the miniscule muscle ring; tasting Shuichi intimately. Shuichi tasted so heavenly to the teen, the smell a special scent that only his lover could emit, present.

"Yukiii.." The teacher began to whine, his face a healthy tomato color. Unable to help himself, Shuichi pushed back and buried Yuki's curious tongue in himself even more, "AH! Yuki that…that tickles!" Shuichi giggled, but the constant muscle circling him finally opened him a little bit more, enabling a finger to push past him.

The stars Shuichi saw doubled.

_"__Yuki. Yuki please, I need you so badly.__"_ The older man whimpered, shaking to the very core as two fingers pushed inside him, then three, _"__Ah!__"_ he squealed in delight.

Standing up, Eiri watched in fascination as his man's ears perked at the sound of his trousers unzipping. Stepping out of the pants, the student lowered his briefs and revealed to his timid lover the physical need for him; his penis its full eight inch length, engorged and thick with addiction for Shuichi's puckering entrance.

Eiri licked the small of Shuichi's back before standing himself straight.

"Ahm…Yuki," Shuichi reveled in as he felt the large member being aimed at his entrance, quivering in impatience. At the first push his breath was knocked away at the feeling of his muscles being forced apart, and with the second thrust a scream ripped through Shuichi's throat. "Oh Yuki!" he cried passionately.

Pumping himself slowly, Eiri began to find his rhythm, pulling out and grunting before pushing back in, ramming himself in the man with every force. In and out, in and out. 

"Oh! Oh! Yu-Yuki!" Shuichi cried upon feeling himself being lifted off the ground, knowing that his lover's animalistic side had come out seeking relief. His hold on the fence tightened, toes barely touching the ground.

Eiri's hands held firm on Shuichi's hips as he lifted the petite man even more, allowing the Shuichi to wrap it around him feebly before pounding himself powerfully inside his lover. He made all his wants known in the tight heat that clutched at his member with every thrust and pull, grunting alongside Shu's wanton cry of delight.

"Shu." He murmured at his lover's beautiful screams, obeying every request to go faster, harder. Reaching over to his man's ignored member, he wrapped his fingers around it tightly and pumped, whispering to his man, "Come Shu. Come for me. Now Shu. Now." And with tears of ecstasy leaking from Shuichi's eyes, the small man shook violently and cried out his orgasm, lost in pleasure.

The impossibly tight heat could only send Eiri to the edge, and thrusting twice more, Eiri groaned and let his seed release into his lover who was eager to consume every drop.

Sated and tired, Eiri pried Shuichi's hands from the rail and set him sitting on the ground. As soon as Eiri sat next to him, Shuichi instinctively snuggled beside him and kissed his collar bone.

"We're a mess." Shuichi whispered, followed by a small giggle.

Yuki shrugged and licked a drop of semen off of the adorable face looking up at him, licking some more before Shuichi pulled away and straddled Eiri's legs, bringing their face close before saying,

"Yuki, kiss me?"

"No."

"What? Why not"

Licking Shu's cum off of his fingers, Eiri shook his head and replied flatly, "I don't want to share your _stuff_ with you. It's mine."

Shuichi stared at him dumbly for a moment before breaking into a smile. Leaning forward, he pressed a soft kiss on Yuki's lips and mumbled, "Okay." before wrapping himself around his lover and closing his eyes. 

Everything was well in his world now.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

Tohma held the bill in hand and smiled. Sending K out to investigate may have been the best moves after all. Not only was K able to find the problem, but also the people behind the mystery.

"Hey Tohma. Coffee." Noriko said, walking in with just that. When she saw the bill on his desk, she smiled, "So I see that the problem's solved?"

"Yes." Tohma replied, "And the festival was a success. Please announce an assembly today. I want to thank the students for their hard work."

"Got it!" Noriko replied, scuttling away.

As soon as she was gone, Tohma's smile turned into a deep frown, his mind wandering back to last Saturday.

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

_Rage grinned as she ripped a few pages off her checkbook, laying them down before the Principal__'__s eyes. __"__I didn't plan it all, you know.__"__ She said._

_Glancing up at her, Tohma asked, __"__What do you mean, Rage?__"_

_Turning towards the door, she waved at him and said, __"__That star teacher of yours is causing you more trouble than help Tohma. I__'__d take him back with me right now, but he already refused.__"__ Turning to Judy who was standing close to K with arms wrapped around his neck, she called, __"__Come on Judy! I still have to give you your Chubo Special Edition kit!__"_

_Judy turning to K kissed her husband lightly before saying, __"__Claude, since you__'__re my darling, I think I can tell you that the plan to cause all this wreck wasn__'__t planned by us at all.__"_

_"__Sure darling.__"__ K replied._

_"__Really!__"__ she insisted, __"__It came in a form of an anonymous letter who really knew how to make trouble.__"__ Winking then, she ran after Rage, Opening the door and waving to her husband a __"__Bye bye Claude!__"__ before exiting._

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

"An...anonymous letter." Tohma whispered heavily, "Why would someone want to stir so much trouble for Shindou-san?"

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O  
O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

AN: Tada! I hope everyone enjoyed! Thank you so much for reading this particularly long chapter! If you must know, this is longer than the last chapter- but I fear to tell you guys how many pages...you might get disgusted by me! If you want to know, copy and paste on your Microsoft Word and it should tell you! lol. All mistakes are mine to be blamed upon.

Please do review if you have questions and any form of comments to make. That is my only payment for the time I dedicate writing each chapters. I hope you guys won't stop loving the story far too soon!

Until next time!!!


	12. Let's Go Misunderstanding

**AN:** I offer my most profuse apologies for the belated update. My writing isn't going too well and I've taken liberty to take a vacation. I'm so sorry also to those who've thought that I went MIA (missing in action) this rarely happens, but it will happen again someday, but please bare this with me- I promise I'll do better in the future. In the meantime, please enjoy this next chapter.

To those who are still with me, thank you so much for all the encouragement and for inquiring of my progress. It helps me.

Special thanks to Tsubaki, my beta, as the usual also. This chapter is only half worst because she actually corrected some mistakes. Any left overs are my fault.

**_-- _**

**Chapter 12: _Let's Go Misunderstanding_**

**_--_**

Her movements were frenzied in the dark.

Footsteps treading heavily, yet quickly over the pavement. Her arms flailed at her sides, a physical manifestation as she tried to search and grasp at something –anything—amidst the chaos in her mind. Her eyes were blind to the path before her and its obstacles by the overflowing tears that couldn't seem to stop. Betrayal, anguish...loneliness-

She winced when she caught her foot on a slab of rock, sending her face first to the ground. There she laid unmoved for a time, until sprinkles of morning rain began to fall down on her, sending her into a ball-like curl. She resisted further movement, fingers digging to the ground fiercely as her sobs echoed in the night, turning into a sort of maniacal giggle...

**O-o-o-o-o-o-O**

Miyari sat up on her futon, a trail of sweat evidently running from her temple to her chest. Her breathing still erratic as she looked down on her hands clutching unto the covers in fear.

"Damn it." she cursed lowly, laying back down and rolling to her side.

This wasn't the first time she'd awaken in this state. Her body was still shaking, as if she'd been running for a long distance. Her eyes fell upon an image of her relatives at the corner of her room, all of them caught in a frozen moment and nothing more. Just pictures.

The only living relative she had now was a little girl in a sailor suit with bright eyes and a smiling expression on her face.

For the second time that night she bolted from her bedding and onto her feet, taking only a moment to steady herself from a sudden dizzy spell. Wrapping a robe around her naked body, and suddenly realizing her weakness, Miyari leaned against the wall tiredly and began her walk in the hall at the dead of the night. Something didn't feel quite right.

"Rei?" She knocked lightly on the sliding door, "Sorry to bother you so late...but...Rei? Can I talk to you? Rei?"

Upon receiving no answer, Miyari decided to intrude...to nothing. The bed was folded neatly, her sister nowhere in sight. Suddenly she was wide awake.

"Rei!" and before she knew it, her feet began to carry her to every room in the house. Her voice louder each time she found each room empty. "REI!" she yelled.

Miyari stopped. There was one room she hadn't checked.

Quickly turning on her heel, she dashed up the stairs three steps at a time, ran down the hall and and to the guest bedroom. Throwing it wide open she opened her mouth to start scolding the person she knew just had to be in there… but paused when she beheld the mess within.

Miyari closed her gaping mouth. She had completely forgotten that her guest that had stayed a week ago in this very room had left many of his belongings, never coming back to retrieve any of them. But it seemed Rei hadn't forgotten, because many of the said belongings were scattered about in the room, clothes, glass case, writing tools- and the room hadn't been left unscathed either. The walls were in horrid state as if a knife had been slashed on the wall papers, the futons unkempt and pillows torn asunder, the insides spread all across the floor.

"Rei…" Miyari mumbled miserably, knowing in her heart her only companion was gone.

**O-o-o-o-o-o-O**

"Good morning class!" Shuichi called as soon as he stepped into his oddly silent room. "Class?" Shuichi repeated, tilting his head in curiosity toward the teens before him. with heads practically dangling on the side of their desks. He grinned. He grinned at The sight of them all slouched over their desks, some heads half-dangling over the edges.

"Sensei," one of the boys called, "We're dead tired."

Another moaned,"The Festival lasted for almost forty eight hours...God...it's a miracle we're all alive."

"Except for a few casualties..." Shuichi interjected, looking down on his attendance board. Grinning, Shuichi placed that board behind his desk and clapped his hands to get everyone's attention, "Alright everyone, since we're all tired, let's do the lazy bow!"

A few students looked at him; if they weren't too tired they would have surely smacked the teacher. "Sensei, lazy bows aren't allowed here in the academy." they corrected, while others simply groaned. Most of them ached from their performances, physically and mentally, and they felt that trying to save their cute little teacher's sorry 'ass from getting fired was a bit unnecessary...for now.

"Aw, c'mon!" Shuichi pouted, looking around, and he huffed all of a sudden, "Alright! Everyone, we're doing the lazy bow! Come on!" and as if to emphasize he tugged on one of his students arms and laid both of his hands flat on the desk, "Raise your heads! Come on, it's only for a second I promise!"

The students groaned, but nevertheless sat straight on their seats, laid their hands flat on the desk and waited for the teacher to say,

Satisfied, the genki teacher bowed and formally, loudly, greeted, "Gooooood Morning!"

Blankly the students lowered their heads until it almost touched the back of their hands and then said in unison, "Morning." and slumped back in their seats. Fulfilling their own habits of showing respect made a few students smile –and they hadn't been forced to get up. Only Shindou sensei could they get away with an informal 'Good morning' greeting. Goodness, the man had to be heaven sent.

Humming to himself, Shuichi turned back to the board, taking up a chalk and writing down in his messy kanji handwriting the day's notes, loudly saying as if he was talking to himself, "Feel free to take notes whenever you feel like it guys. Just as long as you're ready for our quiz in two days. 'Kay? Great."

Shuichi was extremely happy, more so than the usual, and all because they were back to sweet nothings now. He and one Mr. Yuki Eiri. And nothing in life could compare when Yuki and he were in amicable terms.

So lost in daydreaming of what seemed like a 'finally' happy ending, a piece of rolled up paper hit Shuichi zoomed past him to get his attention.

"Wha?" Shuichi blinked, glancing about for the source of the attack, looking over his shoulder and towards a student who pointed towards the doorway where his secret lover was standing, box in hand and a stack of folders on top, eyes intently on him.

"I said, Hiro sent this." Yuki repeated, "Where did you want me to put it?"

By the time the student had finished speaking, a faint discoloration of skin had crept to the teacher's cheeks, slowly turning a light shade of pink until he finally looked away, pointing to the back of the room, and saying quickly "Um, there will be alright Yuki-kun!" Shuichi turned back to the board and began to write some more of the notes, heavily blushing upon the reminder that Tohma hadn't relieved Yuki yet from his 'punishment' as Shuichi's aide.

"Sensei could you please move? We can't see what you're writing in front of you." One of the more diligent students asked politely.

Shuichi stepped aside, glancing at the board with a soft "Sorr-" he didn't finish, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets, "WHAT!" he cried, comprehending for the first time what he'd been writing: **YukiYukiYuki **

The students watched as the man leapt to rub away the writing with the speed of light.

"Ettoo..." Shuichi looked at his puzzled students and lover at the back of the room, then yelled,"TEXTBOOKS OUT!" he yelled.

**O-o-o-o-o-o-O**

"Shindou sensei has been acting funny lately."

Eiri raised his head at hearing his lover's name. He had thought he could catch a moment of peace in the school track field, but there was no such luck. A group of students were approaching his way, rather irritatingly loud too.

"I've noticed so too. Sensei was dazing off I heard, and today in the hallway he ran into the wall."

Damn brat. Eiri thought.

"I think sensei may have a girlfriend."

Shit!

"Really?" an oddly too familiar voice joined. Eiri glanced over the group and immediately recognized the art major Hanako, "You think sensei has a girlfriend? But I thought he was just dumped at the beginning of the year."

"That's what everyone thought," her friend replied, "But anyone with half a brain could see that cute teacher was definitely struck by some kind of love bug this late of the year." A mischievous giggle broke from the circle of friends, only interrupted when they finally noticed the school's untouchable, Yuki Eiri sitting on one of the bleachers.

"Yuki-kun!" they all greeted, all rushing to him like a flood. The only person that had known how to approach the blonde was the calm and timid Hanako who was about to say a polite 'hello.'

That is until an obnoxious shriek came from someone, screaming while pointing at his lap, "No way! Yuki Eiri is that a _**BENTO**_?!"

Bento: B-E-N-T-O, Bento.

What many girls, including they, had offered Yuki Eiri; their own carefully and lovingly prepared Bento boxes in hopes of gaining his favor. Without fail, aware of the implications of accepting, Yuki Eiri had rejected every single one in advance. But today… today he had accepted. And whoever it was he'd accepted from… It. Was. Not. Them.

**O-o-o-o-o-o-O**

By the end of the day, all talk of Shindou-sensei's "odd behavior" had been squashed out by a bigger issue: The as yet unknown identity of the girl from whom Yuki Eiri had accepted a gasp Bento.

"Eh..." Shuichi awed at a sheet of 'school news, reading in bold, "**First place Bishounen of the year for four years in Genesis High finally accepts Bento**...?" he finished, "from a mystery someone?" The teacher shifted his eyes to the said bishounen, "Why is it such a big deal Yuki? It's just a boxed lunch."

Says the guy who was whining all morning until I took the damn thing with me. "Read it again, baka." Eiri replied sarcastically, throwing a box of decorations from the festival on top of the man's supply cabinet.

Sparkling with his discovery, Shuichi skipped over and asked, "Ne ne, Yuki, it's because you're a bishounen and really really popular with the guys and girls right? That's why everyone wants you so much and wants to know everything about you!"

"Yep." the teen replied absently, leaning against the cabinet with indifference, watching the petite singer smiling at nothing in particular. This reminded him...

"Ah!" Shuichi cried happily, throwing skepticism in the air and his arms around his lover's neck, "I'm so lucky I get to have Yuki!" he stood on his tiptoes and managed to land a kiss on Eiri's chin.

_God, if I didn't lov- like you so much I'd smack you_. Eiri reprimanded silently, a smile hovering about his lips as he watched his lover snuggle him, Shuichi rubbing his cheek on his shirt with joy.

"Ne ne, Yuki, am I_ ever _going to know everything about you?" Shuichi asked, looking up at him with his bright and wide eyes.

Allowing himself a moment of sappiness, the blonde inhaled the man's scent before attempting to answer.

"Are you guys stupid or are you just plain stupid?" came a wise chide.

The couple that had pulled apart in an instant calmed their rapidly beating hearts, relieve to see a trusted man coming in with helmet and gloves in hand. Hiro raised an eyebrow at the two, disbelieving how Shuichi and Eiri have the gall to keep with their little honey actions towards each other, in a public place no less.

The hands twined together between the two didn't escape Hiro's attention either.

BANG!

"If you guys weren't so cute I'd shoot you!" K cackled, entering the room and wrapping his arms around Hiro, dramatically crying, "Oh baby!" initiating a parody.

Hiro jokingly moaned to the touch right where Suguru entered the room, "Hey Hiro I have a new compo-" but stopped at the sight before him. Doing a quick U-turn, Suguru mumbled, "I can't do this." and was gone, leaving K and Hiro calling for him. K was first to leave the room, but Hiro fell a few steps behind, turning his glare back on a reprimanding once again,

"Shuichi, Yuki-san. You guys really should be careful. You're lucky it was me who came and not Tohma. Not to mention that Suguru and K are really accepting you guys despite their jobs on the line." shaking his head in hopelessness, he asked, "Hey Shu. You coming? I'll give you a ride today."

Shuichi opened up to speak, "No. You won't." the teacher stared at the teen. That did not come from Shuichi. "You won't." Eiri repeated, "I'm giving him a ride today."

Smiling, Shuichi let go of Eiri's hand, "Actually, I can't go home yet, so you both can go ahead of me." He continued, "You see, a student asked for me specifically this morning if she and I could quickly talk this afternoon."

"You and who?" The writer asked, his eyes turning into a hard stare.

"I can't tell you that." Shuichi replied, heading out the door. "Its teacher, student, and confidentiality." then with a quick turn flew right before Hiro's eyes to Yuki, kissing him eagerly. Eiri was quick to respond, but the kiss ended too quickly, both pulling apart to see Hiro with his back turned and politely looking at the door.

"Alright, I'll see you home tonight Yuki." Shuichi whispered and ran off.

"See ya too honey!" Hiro called with a small displease frown. Saying to no one in particular, "Geez. I swear if I was dead he'd walk over my carcass just to get to you and still might be lucky enough to get ignored." Chuckling, he bid the placid teen a goodbye and walked off.

O-o-o-o-o-o-O

"Shindou-sensei?" she inquired, clutching her bag tightly in nervousness.

"Hanako-san!" Shuichi called back, more in acknowledgement rather than surprise. He'd been expecting her. He gave a soft giggle when the girl blushed at him, "Hey come in, I've been waiting!" and without delay, the student responded to her teacher's request.

Actually, Hanako used to be Shuichi's student. She belonged to class four, had incredible artistic ability, loved by everyone and of course, had been the first to warm up to Shuichi at the beginning of the year. The teacher glanced at the fiddling girl. When Hanako had chosen to approach him instead of Hiro, who in the teacher's mind was infinitely smarter than him, about a 'problem' Shuichi took no time in agreeing to meet with her after school.

Shuichi couldn't take the silence and finally beamed at her, saying excitedly, "Oh yes, Hanako-san, you know the festival a few days ago? I wanted to especially thank you for your contribution. Everyone loved your paintings and it really helped attract the crowd, you've done so much in such a small time that I thought it was very kind of you...along with the others too."

Hanako reflected his smile, nodding eagerly and saying, "Thank you very much, teacher!"

Silence.

Then, "Ano!" Hanako interjected, "I...I should just come out and say it, sensei."

"Huh?" Shuichi asked.

Blushing furiously, she raised her bright amber eyes, her lower lip threatening to split, eyes cloudy and almost in tears, "I...I, sensei...I like--

Instantly Shuichi bowled over inside. Oh no! Hanako...I...seeing her flushed face he shook inside, I'm sorry Hanako I don't like you! I like Yuki! Only Yuki! Even though you're really nice, and look so fragile, I still only like Yuki-kun! I'm sorry!!!

--- I like a guy."

The teacher's shouted, "I can't I'm sorry!!!!!" I'm sorry to break your heart Hanako! I love Yuukii!!!! The teacher blinked, "Eh?"

Hanako blushed, "Huh? You-you can't help me?" she stood up suddenly, "I'm sorry for bothering you then, I, I know I shouldn't have come to you for help...it's just that-"

"No!" Shuichi said frantically, making a mental note to smash his head against a wall afterwards, "I was just kidding Hanako!" and in a beat, the student sat back down. Sighing a relief, Shuichi allowed a few moments of silence to reign over. He was confused, why was Hanako asking him? True, he always told his students to confide in him with anything but...come on! This was...he doesn't even know what to say!

"Teacher," Hanako began again, lowering her gaze on her lap, her fingers twined together, "you see, there's this really, really nice guy that I like, and...I've liked him for so long...I don't know how to go about it...and well, I," she raised her eyes, "It might be wrong. I mean...he may have a girlfriend already."

A feeling of uneasiness washed over Shuichi; who was he to lecture about what was right and wrong? He himself was going out with Yuki, which was a student of his in the first place... "Nonsense Hanako!" he cried, "If its love there's no right and wrong. It's not like you're sure in the first place that he already has a girlfriend! Otherwise the story may be different!"

"You really think so?"

Shuichi nodded vigorously. "Yep! So don't worry about it anymore!" he was happy to see her smile.

"O-okay. Teacher, I'm planning to...to ask him out tomorrow and" Her smile turned to worry, "I really don't know what he'd like, and for now I'm not sure either what I want...but if he says yes, and I-I'm sure he'd say yes if he didn't have anyone, I want to know what might sound like a date."

"Um...I guess it won't hurt," Shuichi pondered out loud, I'll just recall snippets of my date with Yuki! "Our first date...we went to a theme park. And we played lots of games...watched an X-" the teacher blushed Stupid, you can't tell her you went in an X rated movie! Quickly he recovered, "X-tra wonderful movie!"

Hanako just giggled.

Slowly Shuichi began to recall his first date with Yuki, his mouth working on auto while his mind wandered off.

Truthfully, he had rather felt drawn to the student. There were times, that when Yuki was doing his class work, he'd steal quick glances at where the alluring man sat peacefully, posture radiating an attracting pheromone to Shuichi. Then as fast as he'd looked over, Shuichi would continue on with his lesson.

Before Shuichi knew it, his fondness for the blonde grew. Unlike the other students who treated him nicely out of respect, he'd always felt that Yuki was...nice from his heart. Everyone had always been patient with his mistakes at class, but Yuki, he was infinitely tolerant with him. Yuki had always been first to come to him, and even though it was not said, he knew the student worried about him, and it was that sense of care that drew Shuichi, and made him want to be closer to Yuki more than the others were to him.

As time passed, watching over Yuki secretly...the urge to confess something to the young man overcame Shuichi. And before he knew it, his heart was overflowing with gratitude and he really really really came to want to tell Yuki how the man made him feel. But back then, he couldn't because he knew Yuki was popular with the girls and guys. What could an old person like him do to compete with all the others after Yuki?

Then everything started happening so fast. Yuki couldn't keep up with his school work because he overworked the student aide, and fearing the worst that Yuki may not be able to compete in the writing competitions and all because of his selfish needs, he rushed and went to where Yuki lived and began helping him with schoolwork, the passion for teaching burning brighter than ever when he was right next to the young man he infinitely adored.

When he shared his first kiss with Yuki his arms instantly flew around the man's pale neck, pulling Yuki down with, and on himself as gravity laid him to earth. Their mouths were fiery hot and he clutched unto the golden head, massaging the scalp and pulling the tresses up for a quick air. Upon re-submerging themselves in the kiss, Shuichi began to feel insecure at how childish his experience was compared to Yuki's. The student's tongue knew how to tease him, the student knew how much pressure to push and suck- oh and the hands! Shuichi was mindful of the hands, running over his chest upwards and towards the lapel of his white coat, pushing it off the teacher's shoulder and gripping his arm with a wonderful, possessing, hand.

Shuichi had to put in an end when he realized that Yuki and he were teacher and student. Oh, but he couldn't stop himself from kissing the student one last time to assure him that the teacher really wanted the date to happen! Then...then it did happen and oh Shuichi had never felt so much excitement and anxiety at once! It almost felt as if he could be lifted off the ground from that happiness alone.

"Hey teacher?"

Shuichi jolted, blinking himself out of reminiscing, "Ah! So-sorry! Where was I?"

"Um...well, you said that afterwards...you and your date went on the Ferris wheel."

"O-Oh, yeah...well, that's pretty much how the date went!" Shuichi said, grinning sheepishly and feeling that he really shouldn't share the part where they kissed. The teacher looked away from the student, more than feeling guilty that he'd wondered off to the 'Land Faraway' while his student was depending on him. He hoped he wasn't aroused- Yuki you! Why are you always haunting my mind even when you're not around!!

"I'm sorry if this is so awkward...it's just that...everyone was talking of how you have a girlfriend...and," Hanako smiled, "I thought it was a good idea to ask someone who I could trust and have experience at the same time."

"What?!" Shuichi asked, "What...what do you mean?" his face by now has gone red. I don't think Yuki really counts as a girlfriend!

"Well...there was a woman here, about a month or two ago, and everyone saw you and her were really close, well..." her hold on her bag tightened, "I'm sorry."

Shuichi grinned, he didn't know want the girl to feel so embarrass talking to him, after all, that's why she came to him right? A light bulb flashed on teacher's head, "Oh! You mean Miyari!" he waved a hand and smiled, "Don't worry, she and I broke up already. It seems I just can't keep 'em long enough! Ahaha!" He stopped laughing when he sensed that Hanako herself was just staring at him oddly, as if she suspected his answer...

"I'm sorry." she mumbled.

Smiling at the crimson faced girl. He could understand now how he connected to Hanako. He'd been really scared to confess how he felt about Yuki. And in truth, he was almost- no, practically in tears when he professed how he'd really really really liked Yuki-kun.'

Without a thought Shuichi reached over Hanako's lap and took her hands gently to his, squeezing it tightly before holding his gaze with her teary ones, "Be strong Hanako. I know it's hard, but it'll be alright." he swallowed a gulp, certainly trying to recall what would have helped him back when he had a crush with Yuki, "You'll be great, and whoever this guy is, He'll be lucky to have won your heart. Just speak out what's on your mind, and everything will turn out fine."

In a blink of an eye Hanako had thrown her arms around the petite sensei and wailed openly saying, "Thank you teacher! Thank you very much!"

Shuichi smiled proudly. Waiting a short while before handing Hanako the Kleenex box. She recollected herself in a matter of time and collected her things, quite pleased that she'd gone for counseling to the right person, "Thank you very much teacher." and with a last smile, she disappeared out the door and down the hall.

Despite the thrilling new bond he'd created with Hanako...he couldn't help but sense a bad omen at the horizon. He hadn't said anything that could break her heart...did he?

However, a flash of golden hair in his mind waiting for him at home made him push the feeling away. He was happy now and doubt had no place in his heart.

O-o-o-o-o-o-O

"I'm home." Shuichi mumbled, approaching the figure on the couch, lying down on his stomach. Sitting at the edge of the couch, he couldn't help but touch the golden hair, running the soft tresses between his fingers, "Yuki?" the younger man shifted, slightly pushing away from Shuichi as if he was an annoyance. Shuichi blushed, Yuki looked so comfortable and angelic, more so asleep than when he was awake.

Don't get me wrong, Shuichi murmured inside, you're gorgeous all the time. Leaning down, he kissed the teen's forehead and gently nuzzled the pale neck, leaving trails of kisses in his wake. It's hard to wonder why I think of you all the time. Coming up on his lover's right here, he nipped at it playfully before whispering,

"_Yuki_. Yuki wake up. I brought you your favorite."

The figure below shifted, turning around and facing him and cloudy yellow eyes opened, shimmering brightly from the sunset rays coming through the windows. Shuichi pouted when they closed, but before he could wake his love again, a hand raised from his side and toppled him over the sleeping man.

"So you did." the teen voiced calmly.

"Yuki!" Shuichi pouted, flustered at the same time. Gazing down at the perfect face, he tried again, "Wake up, we have cheesecake." And smilingly, he pressed a kiss on his lover's cheek.

"Brat..." Yuki drawled at him, obviously enjoying the attention, "Go get us some plates and I'll get up." He himself almost pouted when the teacher eagerly crawled off, discomfort gone however at the sight of the large creamy pink colored box on the coffee table.

When Shuichi came back, his man was already sitting up, almost looking in a huff while shoving away the golden locks hanging all over his face. Padding down towards him, and rather cutely to the teen's mind, he joined the boy on the couch and set down the small plate on the table.

Eiri watched with impatience as the man cut the cake in a perfect, small, square. Lifting an eyebrow, he stiffened at the sight of the man dropping the perfect piece unceremoniously on the plate.

"Oops." Shuichi apologized, sheepishly. Beaming, he took one of Eiri's 'special' forks for such desserts and offered a small piece to the waiting man. Instantly the piece vanished into the dark, moist cavern of his lover's mouth. Giggling, Shuichi gave the hungry man some more, saying, "You're going to turn into a fat glob of jelly if you keep eating so much." But nevertheless, relenting to Eiri's wants until half of the whole cake was gone.

When the cake was gone and the excitement of good dessert had faded, Eiri's weariness seemed to catch up wto him. Thoughtfully, Shuichi fetched a blanket from the bedroom and laid it over the tired student. But when Eiri mentioned he wanted to be left alone and Shuichi was free to do whatever he wanted, he smiled, lifted the blanket back up, and sneaked in to join the boy.

Because all he wanted was to be as close to his lover as he could.

"Don't get use used to this." the teen said, making space between him and the couch for Shu.

Shuichi snuggled closer and buried his head beneath the man's chin, mumbling a soft and happy, "I won't." before falling asleep.

Eiri shifted to his side, waited for a moment before wrapping his other arm on Shuichi and buried his finger inside the pink mess, nuzzling him before he too slept.

O-o-o-o-o-o-O

"Ehhh?!!"

Shuichi almost toppled off of his seat at the scream.

He and Hiro had been spending their lunch hour having a pleasant conversation at the teacher's lounge when suddenly a student had come by, talking to one of the female teachers, and the said teacher had suddenly shrieked in disbelief then ran off to the window, looking down on the school ground. Other teachers of the female sex followed close by, swarming as if an alien ship had landed on the school grounds.

"Oh my gawd!" one of the female teacher shouted, "He took it!!!"

"So it's really her!!"

"I couldn't believe it either! She's the mystery girl? Whoa!"

"Yeah! Way to go Hanako!"

At hearing Hanako's name Shuichi stood from his seat, he was one of the last men that resisted their curiosity as to what was going on. Until he heard 'Hanako' that is.

Hiro raised an eyebrow, "You're not seriously into the school gossip too are you Shuichi?" but Shuichi was listening more to the teacher that decided to fill him in on what was happening.

"Hanako had suddenly come up to Yuki-san and offered him a bento!" she wrung her hands above her head excitedly, "He'd just put it away in his bag too! I can't believe he'd actually take it, but a group of students had seen it and they told me."

A male teacher said, "Of all the people I can't believe it's Hanako he's been hiding all this time!"

At this Shuichi and Hiro rushed to the window, staring down at two small figures three stories down. Shuichi blinked, but without a doubt it was really Yuki and Hanako conversing, Hanako flustered and bowing several times to his Yuki.

Oh no! He thought, dread crashing down on him, She likes Yuki! My Yuki! I should have known! 'It might be wrong. I mean...he may have a girlfriend already.' That's what she said and I should have known she was talking about Yuki because that's all the talk have been about since everyone discovered the boxed lunch I made for him!! But instead...Instead I said...

'Just speak out what's on your mind, and everything will turn out fine.'

"Well there goes Yuki-san." The teacher mumbled, watching as the blonde student disappeared in the school entrance.

Shu? You alright?" Hiro finally asked after watching his friend. Knowing him, he knew that Shu was probably doing some self torture, "Hey Shu," he leaned to whisper, "You don't know for sure that she's asking him out-"

"DUMBASS!" Shuichi suddenly yelled, when all heads turned on him he paled, turning on his heels and calling to the surprise teachers, "Gotta go to the bathroom!" and ran off.

Gotta find Yuki! Gotta find Yuki! He chanted in his head, running down the hall in the speed of light. Shuichi went about scanning all the rooms, so desperate in trying to find his lover he even disrupted some of the classes, leaving behind an unkempt room struck by whirlwind Shu. After a few minutes, Shuichi came across the student and snatched him by the arm, dragging the confused blonde up the stairs, passing Hanako on the third floor who went as far as "Sensei can I talk-" before he had rushed by and was gone.

"Ah Dammit!" Yuki cussed after being thrown out to the school's rooftop. "Shuichi what the hell?"

"Yuki I saw you talking to Hanako!" Shuichi huffed.

"Really?" Yuki countered, rather annoyed as he set down his bag on the ground. Shuichi waited until the man faced him before pummeling his tiny self unto the teen, wrapping his arms around the young man's waist, "Shuichi, what the hell-"

"I'm sorry Yuki!" Shuichi said frantically, "I- yesterday I talked to Hanako after school and that's why I couldn't go home with you at the same time- but that's not the point, and you see Yuki, she came to me really embarrassed and all and she wanted to tell me she really liked a guy and she was almost crying and you see-"

"Shuichi," Yuki asked, trying to calm him, "What is this all about?"

"Yuki you have to say yes! I told her that if she confessed to the guy she liked it would all be fine!" Shuichi suddenly cried, looking up at him with his bright purple eyes, "But I didn't know it would be you!" Shuichi felt as if his heart was drowning; he was giving his lover to go out with somebody else. If it was another person he wouldn't give up Yuki! But this was different because Hanako came to him and trusted him and he himself said that everything would be fine! "Hanako _really_ likes you Yuki." he began to sob, reaching up with both hands and pulling down Yuki's confused face. He didn't want to give him up so badly! He kissed Yuki softly on the lips, "_Please don't leave me."_

Shuichi blinked. He hadn't meant to say the last part. He pulled away and touched his lips, he tried to tell Yuki to go out with Hanako again but, **"Please don't leave." **then he looked up at Yuki; he couldn't give him up!

Yuki's glare softened and he sighed loudly, swiping a hand over his hair, "Glad you're sane again. Now would you tell me what's going on here?"

Shuichi blinked again, "Didn't Hanako ask you to go out with her?" he questioned, flinching when he was graced with a deep frown.

"Alright, what have you been taking? Are you high?"

"Hu-huh?" confused, Shuichi began pointing in all direction, his head tilting as he stuttered, "Bu-but, every-everyone saw you two talking and...She was offering you a bento...and...Everyone saw you guys...ow!" Shuichi cried at the pain of his lover's knuckles getting acquainted with his skull.

"Are you really out of your mind?" the blonde growled, pausing to calm himself before continuing on, "I was planning on eating at the track field today, but I left my lunch at your classroom stupid," Shuichi watched as his lover extracted a box of bento he'd given to the man earlier that morning, Yuki continued, "Hanako was looking for you and she saw me leave this behind so she ran after me. After she gave this back, she asked me if I knew where you were, and I told her that you might be at the teacher's lounge with Nakano-sensei."

"So...so you're not going out with her?"

Sighing once again, Yuki placed a hand on the teacher's head and gently patted him down, "Ba-ka."

Shuichi's face brightened, more than happy that it had all been a misunderstanding, "Ah Yuki!" and he would have leapt into the Yuki's arms and kissed the man as if there was no tomorrow when a sudden-

"Teacher?" interrupted them.

Shuichi and Yuki both recognized Hanako's voice, and their fear of getting caught heightened their sense. They could practically see the approaching girl through the closed door.

"Yuki quick! Hide!"

"What! Why me?" Yuki grumbled, but was already gathering his bag and lunch in his arms- heading behind one of the water dam.

After two steps Shuichi pushed him, just in time as the door opened, Hanako stepping out.

"Hey Hanako! What's up! I'm just enjoying the fresh air! Mmm!" Shuichi stopped, observing the flustered girl and curious as to what she had to tell him, "Hey, what is it?" he asked.

"Teacher," Hanako said again, bowing slightly, she removed her eyes from the ground, "Um...I was wondering if you're free...to-tomorrow after school?" she held out her hand and bowed, screwing her eyes shut as she said, "I...I have two for the both of us...so, I- I was wondering if you'd come to the Local Red Leaf Festival with me!!"

Shuichi's eyes flickered. His face blank as he looked down at the outstretched hand that held a 'FALL LEAF FESTIVE' ticket. A full minute passed before the situation completely processed in the teacher's mind, scaring him senseless.

"Ha-Hanako...I'm...your teacher."

She shook her head forcefully from side to side, saying, "It doesn't matter! You said it yesterday that it doesn't matter as long as it's love, didn't you?"

A pang of guilt made itself known to Shuichi. "I-I did."

"Sensei, I'm sorry for tricking you yesterday! I...I just wanted to see what was your view in this kind of situation- and I! I was very happy when you said that it didn't matter! And then...then you said that you didn't have a girlfriend, and I was relieved back then too!"

Yes, he had told her that there was no wrong if it was love, and he did say that he had broken it off with a girlfriend...and on top of that, he'd encouraged her to confess to him...but, but he wouldn't have...if he knew he was the guy.

"But Hanako I didn't-" know it was me. "It's-" different...

Suddenly K's voice boomed, "Shuichi!!!!! Have you stolen my students?!" and as K appeared, ushering a late Hanako back to class, Shuichi looked up to see Yuki staring at him with a blank gaze. With K and Hanako gone, Eiri started for the door.

"Yuki wait! I-"

But the door had already shut.

O-o-o-o-o-o-O

Eiri paced relentlessly around his apartment, beer in hand, a slice of cheesecake on the other and definitely a problem in mind. He tried not to panic since he'd gotten home, but as soon as he downed the first gulp of beer- his mind went haywire. He never ever thought he'd had to ever think of what to do if someone else liked his man, his Shuichi. So now, he was stuck.

No, he didn't have a problem! He'd kick anybody's ass that got near to touching his lover, but this was somehow different. Hanako Kayou is first off, a girl. And secondly...

Eiri paused. Never mind. He thought, shoving the whole cake in his mouth. "Ah-damn it!" the writer suddenly shouted, only realizing it a moment later. His breaths were ragged and shallow, his heart pounding a solid tattoo on his chest. Doesn't anyone have a sense of decency in this world anymore?! He tore inside, doesn't anyone care that having an affair with a teacher is wrong anymore? What the hell was the world's fuckin' problem?!

Of course, Eiri knew it was hardly fair to vent out like so. After all, he himself was conducting such an affair- but that was it, since he didn't care, everyone else should! Then he wouldn't have this damn problem staring at his face.

What to do, he secretly wondered, Shuichi was too nice to say no of course. Too naive also. But most of all, Hanako was a girl. Eiri wasn't. And Shuichi- despite the forbidden affair, could easily get rid of one more problem on the list if he decided he liked Hanako back too. What to do...

Suddenly the phone rang, and reluctantly pulling away from his sulking, he headed to the kitchen and picked up, "What."

"Hey bro!" Tatsuha. "I just called to ask how you're doing."

"You'd be calling more often if you really cared, but to accommodate this charade, I'm doing fine." Eiri sighed, his fingers were itching to rub at his temples already.

There was a slight pause, some rustling and then on the other side Tatsuha said, "Uh oh. Trouble with your man huh? What happened?"

"None of your damn business!" Eiri snapped before he could stop himself, his palm flying on his mouth as soon as he realized what he'd done. "Damn it Tatsuha. Just say what you called for!"

There was a slight hesitation before came a nervous stutter, "Okay. I just called to ask if I could stay there for a little while." Tatsuha hurriedly said, "It's not going to be for long, I just need a place to stay until I deliver some ointment and tea to dad's friend."

"Use the mail! It's cheaper, or go to the Seguchi's where you're more than welcome. So no matter what you are not staying in my apartment." when there was no reply, Eiri sharply added, "Do you get it Tatsuha?" He had a bad feeling about this, normally his little brother tried harder than this. Maybe he did sense that something really was wrong with Eiri?

"Fine. But I don't know how Tohma would react if he knew that you were having an affair with one of his teachers."

If Eiri had the power to reach through the phone line and wring his brother's neck until it snapped he would, but neither privileges were he gifted. "Tatsuha, did you just threaten me? I'll kill you if you tell."

"Sure. Dad just passed by, and I doubt your little foreign car is fast enough to get down here before I call Tohma and tell him. I can rest in peace knowing I made your life miserable."

"You..." Eiri paused, hearing footsteps outside his apartment, "asshole."

"Yeah okay whatever- so you'll let me stay?"

"Two days and then you have to go to Mika's." Eiri punctuated the statement with silence. Normally he'd have hung up by now, but he needed to clear up a few more things. "Not a word to anyone you ass, and Tatsuha?"

"Yes."

"I still am in an affair with my teacher."

"But wait! I thought there was something wron-" but by then Eiri had hung up, turning around to see Shuichi toeing down the hallways and towards him in silence. Their eyes met and after a few awkward moments, Shuichi raised a see through bag with a cream colored box inside and asked,

"Peace?"

Silently Eiri raked his eyes over the teacher's body, small chest that led down to perfect hips and shapely thighs- it puzzled Eiri how the man could attract girls even though he was built of girly parts. Eiri looked away when he saw the discomfort he placed the teacher under scrutiny. He nodded and then sat on his leather couch.

"You okay Yuki?" the teacher asked him, his face scrunching in worry. The teacher knelt on the floor staring at the teen's back on him.

After a little while, Eiri turned around and he stared momentarily at the sweet face before saying, "Yes." his voice a little broken. He coughed to remedy it.

His lover broke into a sweet smile, "G-good. Because..." Shuichi looked down, "I think you'll be very mad if I told you what I've decided...about Hanako."

It took some true will power for the blonde not to wring this man's neck. "You're going with her." he mumbled, his jaws tightening and ready to snap. He flopped on his back and glared at the ceiling as if it had done him wrong. He couldn't believe what he'd just heard, Shuichi, his own lover, had just told him that he would go out with someone that certainly wasn't him! He had a right damn it! A right to glare at him at the very least!!!

He was just about to when soft pliant lips touched his cheeks, resting on him for a moment before lifting off, along with his heart.

"I better go." Shuichi mumbled, standing up and heading for the door. Shuichi had barely rounded the corner when he heard his name. Turning, he watched his rapidly approaching lover with wary eyes… which widened when the teen tripped on the couch corner and landed on him. His back on the ground, Shuichi looked up, "Yuki! Be careful!" he softly rebuked, brushing away some of his student's heavenly golden hair. Shuichi was more than aware that Yuki was trying not to crush him with his weight by supporting himself up on his elbows.

Eiri paid no mind to the older man's scolding, "Go out with me." he whispered, letting his head fall gently next to his baka's ears, "Tomorrow night, come here instead and have dinner _with me_."

"Yuki-" Shuichi tried.

"I'll cook." Yuki insisted, his fingers twining on Shuichi's scalp gripping with sudden desperation. "I don't want you involved with her." the student knew he had said it so softly that the teacher was giving serious thought if he'd heard him right. After some time his lover must have determined that he had really said something like that and gently pushed him off until both of them were sitting on the floor next to each other.

Shuichi cupped Eiri's cheeks, "Yukii," he whined, "I don't need to choose between you and Hanako. I'm always yours!" Eiri pulled away when the man tried to kiss him; he figured that this time Shuichi just couldn't make his problems go away with a kiss. This time… it hurt too much.

"Fine. Don't go out with her. Otherwise break up with me." he said bitterly, turning his head the other way. He could just picture the look of disbelief on the teacher' face, staring at him as if he'd grown something extra on the back on his head.

"Yukii," Shuichi tried coaxing, his thumbs running up and down on his lover's face, "I can't just turn my back away from Hanako after the great lengths of things she's done just to say what she's said to me."

Leaning in question Eiri demanded, "Why not?" and when the other didn't answer he started to pull away, only to have an arm come around and draw him into clinging arms. Kisses rained his cheeks and forehead. When his Shuichi finished he leaned forward and bumped their foreheads, staring at his lover, eyes glittering from the lights in the kitchen.

"I'm always so lucky that you too have feelings for me." his baka whispered like imparting a treasured secret, "Ever since yesterday I've been thinking what would have happened if you had rejected me that night. It took me a long time to tell you how much I liked you, how much I adored you from far away...and you in turn gave me a chance and that's how we came to be." Yuki relaxed when Shu pressed another kiss on his lover's temple, "I know what it feels like to really want something from far away, a date, a kiss- warmth. And Hanako just asked me for this small favor. It doesn't mean that I feel towards her what I feel for you, I just understand her position."

Of course secretly, Eiri understood also. He too had adored Shuichi since he laid eyes on him, a cliché that nevertheless happened without him realizing it at first. He had always wanted to kiss his teacher, want him so much he could die from his heartache. He couldn't tell Shuichi any of those things but he still understood what his lover was trying to tell him- but still!

He had worked so hard to get that date with his teacher, and by some miracle he had shared bed with the man that same night! Didn't it also make sense to hold on to Shuichi with everything he has?

"This is different." the student stubbornly countered, his eyes meeting the teacher's majestic ones, "It won't be like that from Hanako's point of view. After tomorrow, she'll want more. She won't allow you to play her like this. She'll expect more from you and I can't have that." he paused, muffling himself on the man's shoulder, _"I won't allow it."_

The silence that followed was almost too much. Unsure if he had heard him, Eiri raised his head from the shoulder it laid on to take a look at his beau. What he saw at first was nothing significant in particular, until the other man shifted closer to him and revealed for all to see the flood of emotions rushing in his large eyes, almost like shock, anxiety, worry...and relief.

"You're jealous aren't you?" Yuki heard after some time. Then a dreamy, "Oh Yuki..." followed.

"Don't be stupider than the usual." he snapped at the teacher, nonetheless becoming pliant to soft hands kneading a comforting path along his back.

Now on a kneeling position and taller than the blonde, On his knees, Shuichi looked down at his young man and grinned, embracing him tightly as he said, "I'm with you Yuki. If Yuki doesn't want me to do something that makes him uncomfortable, then I won't. I only want Yuki and it makes me happy to have Yuki...and I never never ever want to do anything that might make him hate me. Never."

And dipping his head down, Shuichi swept Yuki's doubts away his lips.

**O-o-o-o-o-o-O**

Eiri opened his eyes the next morning with a hidden smile inside.

Sitting up and reclining against his bed, he searched around for his teacher- easily found under the small lump beneath the sheets next to him with an arm thrown around his waist.

God...he was so...pretty. He's almost like that toy I've always wanted when I was young, promising to take great care of...Involuntarily his fingers reached for the naked man's chin, tilting it slightly up and bending himself down to place a soft wet kiss on the bottom lip, afterwards flinging the bed sheets off of his naked self and to the cold air.

Thirty minutes later Eiri picked up his coat and keys, left a note of 'went ahead' for his slumbering lover and headed out the door. In another half an hour, the student found himself standing outside the tea club gates and waiting for a fellow student. Another minute passed and Kayou Hanako greeted him warmly, but his response was utterly different.

"Shuichi can't go out with you."

She blinked at him for a moment as if she hadn't a clue what he was talking about. Until she realized what exactly he meant, "Shindou...sensei?" she asked, clearly unfamiliar with using his first name. When Eiri nodded she flinched. "I don't know what you're talking about Yuki-kun." she said, reverting to her quiet smiles.

"I heard you yesterday. I was on the rooftop- not exactly a private place. But that's hardly the point. As I said, you can't go out with him." he turned to leave when she called out,

"You called him Shuichi. _Why?_ Why can't I have an outing with him?" her smile entirely gone, eyes narrowing, "You're hardly the boss of me, foreign man."

Eiri frowned, "Aren't you a bit surprise that a student knows?"

"And what'll you do? Tell someone?" she laughed mockingly, "Aw. Did this keep you up awake all night long Yuki-kun?"

"Hardly. I just don't want him involve with you" he replied, images of her object of desire writhing passionately beneath him coming in mind. With a smug smile he concluded, "Better tell him you have other plans today before he breaks your heart. Because he will, you know, he already has a lover after all. He won't have any use for bitches like you."

"You expect me to do that? You're joking." she spat, staring angrily at him. But somehow that look on his face...No it can't be...

Hanako's hands tightened their hold on her bag, the gentle outer appearance of her from a minute ago completely gone, "I'll do whatever I want!" she shrieked after him, "Do you hear me? I don't care if you have teacher complex! Eiri!!" but all she could hear was the faint 'tip tap' of his shoes as he continued on his way towards the main school building, vanishing into the early morning mist.

A group of girls who heard the angry voice stepped outside the teahouse, looking around only to see Hanako. One of them stepped towards Hanako asking, "Are you alright?"

Slowly Hanako turned towards them, her eyes for a moment glazed over in anger. A moment passed by and realizing who it was, she straightened herself and replied, "I'm fine." and walked off, leaving the others frowning in her wake.

O-o-o-o-o-o-O

He'd never felt so strange before.

The strange kind of feeling as if the world was about to end, and Shuichi didn't favor it at all. All day he'd been filled with a strange tension His Yuki's eyes were on him always, making him more determined to reject Hanako's offer, but when he caught sight of her in the halls, catching her soft smiles to him, he'd forgotten what his lover he had discussed the night before. Yes, he would do anything Yuki asked him and the writer's strong objection to his pity date with Hanako was nothing strange because- after all, they are lovers- but this one...it's not that he didn't want to do it. He just wanted to do it right.

It would have been more awkward if he was still class four's teacher.

It was already four in the afternoon, and as if on cue, all the students in class 3-7 raised their heads, ears perking at the sound of their freedom echoing down the hall. As the bell died down, Shuichi stopped writing on the board, clapped his hands together and said, "Sounds like school's over, all right class, please stand."

The class stood in uniform, said their formal good bye, packed their things and shuffled out of the room, quite exhausted for the day.

For a moment the teacher kept his smile bright, answered some questions his students lingered about to ask, and watched them exit the room before finally collapsing on his desk with a huff, his head tilted back against his chair and eyes cast outside towards the soft orange glow of sunset.

_"Teacher?"_

Shuichi shot up from his seat. Finding himself staring up at Hanako who was placing bags in the trashcans. His eyes then fell on the clock above her. Six o'clock. He hadn't known two hours had passed already.

"Hanako." he mumbled back.

His student smiled, "If we want to make it on time, we should leave now teacher." Shuichi's eyes fell back out the open windows, staring mindlessly at the starburst color painted over the sky, listening all the while to her, "Teacher...I would be most happy if you came, I-"

"Hanako." The teacher interrupted.

She looked at his face, directly into his eyes and frowned.

"I'm sorry. I...as your teacher, and you as my student- I can't." he quickly continued, "But that's not what's bothering me! I could care less...but I do not like you the way you like me..."

Chokingly, Hanako asked, "You already have someone?" Shuichi nodded, "A lover?" nod, "Yuki-kun?"

Biting his bottom lip, Shuichi picked up his handbag and brushed past her, whispering a soft, "Sorry." and disappearing behind the door.

Meanwhile, a bitter smile appeared on Hanako's lips. And in the end her eyes stung and tears began to fall.

O-o-o-o-o-o-O

Eiri fell backwards as his pink bundle of joy tackled him to the ground, crying with relief and quiet happiness. He'd really thought Shuichi had acted upon his saintly side and gone on a date with Hanako...but instead here was the man.

"Dinner's ready." he told Shuichi. In turn the man mumbled something incoherent against his neck, words muffled by tears. "I got the movie Hiro said you've been wanting to see..." he added, grunting as he sat up, his pink haired lover straddling him around the waist.

"Okay..." Shuichi said, hesitating before changing his mind, "Actually…Um...Yuki?"

"Hm?"

"Can we...can we do something else?" he asked, his eyes staring back at the golden ones. Shuichi smiled and pressed a kiss on the teen's forehead, knowing his lover wouldn't object to the request he was about to ask. "We...we could just stay out the balcony instead of staying inside...ne?"

Wiping away the last of his lover's tears, Yuki nodded, "Sure..." and kissed him.

It had meant to be short and fast- but instead it was long and sensuous, and what was suppose to be just comfort turned into a blossoming passion.

Eiri never wanted his lover to ever regret being with him instead, and Shuichi's just as passionate kiss told him he wasn't.

**O-o-o-o-o-o-o-O**

Her movements were frenzied in the dark. Footsteps treading heavily, yet quickly on the pavement. Her hands flailed about on her sides as if searching and trying to grasp something and anything in the midst of chaos in her mind; her eyes were blind to the path before her and its obstacles by the overflowing tears that couldn't seem to stop. She'd never felt so betrayed and lonely.

She winced at slab of rock her foot caught in, sending her face first to the ground. There she laid unmoved for a time, until sprinkles of morning rain began to down on her, sending her into a ball-like curl. She resisted anymore movement, fingers digging to the ground fiercely as her sobs echoed in the night.

Hanako could hear footsteps not far off and she could have cared less what the person thought of her laying there, but it stopped right in front of her- and when she looked up, she found herself staring at a young woman's figure holding an umbrella in one hand and the other stretching out towards her.

_"Need a little help?"_

**O-o-o-o-o- To be Continued o-o-o-o-o-o-O**

**AN:** Sorry sorry! I just wanted to clear up the fact that at the beginning of this chapter it really WAS Rei playing the role and at the end it was Hanako and I made it like that on purpose. Sorry!

Next Chapter: In the next chapter, there's a transfer student who's already familiar with all of us, two girls who are more than a little bitter about their love being stolen by a certain writer, and on top of it all- a secret about a certain affair in school finally being revealed?! Trouble's about to stop in town and Shuichi with Yuki is caught right in the middle!!

Don't miss the next chapter: **Vandalized**

A review or words of encouragement would be nice of you to leave. Thank you.

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	13. Vandalized

**AN: **Thank you kindly for your most generous patience everyone! I want you all to know that I love every single one of you guys for reading, and I smile everytime I see my visitor count go up, knowing that some people don't just read my story once but twice or a few more. Thank you for your visits and eager wait. Please continue to read and if possible, review.

**To Godmother Tsubaki:** Thank you very much for your wonderful hardwork. I can only imagine how hard it is to deal with a writing material inferior to yours.

Chapter 13: **Vandalized**

Mrs. Kayou was just about to call the police when her daughter entered the house, a little soaked from the drizzle outside and not alone, a classmate in tow. "Welcome home dear, I was worried, why hadn't you called?"

"I'm home now mom." Her daughter replied, smiling apologetically. "I'm sorry."

Shaking her head Mrs. Kayou smiled and rushed to the closet with the towels, hurrying back and handing it to each girl to dry off. "Oh, who is this new friend? I haven't met you before." she smiled kindly at the polite bow from her daughter's friend and said, "Dad's not coming home tonight, so you won't mind sitting in for him do you? I cooked so much, but he was suddenly called into an emergency at the hospital."

"Oh!" her daughter's friend replied, nodding eagerly and saying, "I'd love to!"

"Would you like to call your paren-" Mrs. Kayou started, but her daughter walked towards the living room with a wave of a hand,

"She doesn't need to mom; she'll be staying here tonight and I have a favor to ask."

The mother glanced from the friend to her daughter, "A favor?" Both girls nodded, and the kind lady nodded eagerly, ready to give her daughter anything, "Sure dear, what is it?"

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

There was a loud moan in the apartment, the echoes of itleading down the hall and into a room where two figures lay in bed.

"Yuki..." Shuichi whispered breathlessly, his hands grasping unto his lover's strong shoulders, finishing, "-I'm so tired...Yu-ki." but he didn't let go.

"Not yet." his student replied, kissing his heavily perspired forehead. "Just a little more." he said, burying his nose into his teacher's neck, inhaling the powerful scent of their intermingling sweat from the heat of their love. Eirimarked him gently before pushing up and looking down at his lover, both of them bare as the day they were born and both of them only for each other to see. "Just one more time...one more time with you."

Shuichi's cheeks reddened, nodding as he clung unto his partner, his lover gave him the promised ecstasy that would be short lived in its physical form. His hold tightened around the teen's neck and he cried aloud his student's name.

Not a second longer Eiri followed into the bliss of lovers; all the pain and heartaches in him chased away.

O-o-o--o-o-O

"Yuki." Shuichi whispered, his head shifting in his lover's arm to look up at his lover.

Eiri whose head was supported up by the very arm Shuichi was snuggling against looked down at him, shifting his gaze away from the brightly lit sky.

"I love you Yuki." Shuichi spoke softly, lips reaching up for a kiss, lingering for a moment to hear the same from him. When none came he brushed away the disappointment and kissed his lover lightly, happily thinking to himself; '_That's alright. Yuki surely loves _ _me._ and settled back down on the pillows. He grinned a little at the frown on his lover's face and instantly knew that the boy was worrying. What about he didn't know, neither did he care as long as they never got separated.

"Pretty." Shuichi thought, dreamily staring at the teen's narrow gaze. He must have been more tired than he thought when he saw those very eyes looking down at him as if he was the only thing in the world that mattered**…**"Pretty." He thought again, and closing his eyes.

Meticulously Eiri settled to the snuggling man and caressed his cheek, kissing him one last time before saying in an ironicalvoice, "You're the pretty one." and closed his eyes.

He had been so worried about Hanako. Shuichi, their teacher, didn't know her as the real person she was inside- oh but Eiri knew, and he didn't want anything bad happening now. It would have been easy for him to just think that it's all over now, but Hanako won't let it go. Not if she could help it...unless...

_No._ He thought, scooting Shuichi closer to him, _this is enough for now. I won't worry tonight. _

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

_Saturday._ Shuichi thought, blindly padding to the bathroom and closing the door behind himself.

If it had been any other Saturday he would have been fine, but particularly, this semester's Saturday and the next and the one after that he was scheduled to monitor clubs meeting on Saturdays, and that was the majority of them since students were too busy studying on weekdays. He worriedly bit his lip as he undressed and stepped into the shower.

_Hanako is one of those students who stay to catch up for the club she participates in...Tea club I think?_ Shuichi was weighed down. He didn't feel ready to face her yet...he's just rejected her the night before after all. _Oh...what am I going to do!_ He thought to himself, banging his head against the tile wall, _baka baka baka--_

"Eyah!!" Shuichi yelled, turning around with the bar of soap readyto strike upon the intruder who had wrapped cold arms around himOnly it was, "Yuki!" he gasped, letting the young man take away his weapon, "You scared me to death you...you idiot!!"

"Idiot?" the student replied, raising an eyebrow before soaping the shorter man, rubbing the bar in specific areas where hard evidence from their night's activities was showing. "You're so busy hitting yourself on the wallanyone could come in and molest you. _You're_ the idiot."

"I don't have to worry." Shuichi said haughtily, smiling as he reached for his own raspberry-strawberry shampoo his Yuki had gotten for him especially. Foaming his hair Shuichi leaned against his lover and 'hummed'contently at the now warm hands washing him everywhere- and even sneaking a little touch here and there. "Yuki wouldn't let anyone go in the bedroom knowing I'm in it naked. Let alone in the bathroom- I think you have a radar on even when you're in a comma."

"Shut up," was the embarrassed response before Eiri pulled him roughly around and kissed him hard.

"Yuki...Yuki!" Shuichi protested, half heartedly pushing him away. His lover didn't stop, insisting further on to continue his quest of fulfillment for his hunger. Shuichi cringed as his back settled on the cold bathroom tiles, head tilting back some more as his love's fingers tugged hard on his pink tresses while the other hand wrapped around his waist and hoisted him up with a little 'hop' from Shuichi as an aide. "More Yuki-" Shuichi cried, pushing himself back against the wall as he dug his fingers on Eiri's shoulder.Eiri pressed forward and ground who ground their pelvises together, holding unto Shuichi's thighs, legs stiffening. "Ha-" Shuichi huffedas they rubbed erotically against each other gasping and shaking uncontrollably, "Yuki I'm so close! Faster..."

" Mm. Me...too." Eiri grunted in difficulty, speeding his movement against the man, before stopping and finallyreaching at his own member and directing it at Shuichi's puckered entrance.

"Hagh-" Shuichi yelled at the feeling, stiffening even more as Eiri's whole member sank into him and began to thrust, "Yuki, please- just a little more," he moaned bracing himself when he heard another grunt from his lover.Finally, crying against the shoulders that held him up as the feeling became unbearable in him he cried out,"Ah- Yuki, I'm-I'm coming-"

"Hold on." Eiri hissed, wrapping his hand to stop Shuichi's ascent. He quickened his pace and pushed one last time, buried completely before he allowed Shuichi to go.

"Shu-"

"Yuki!"

"ANIKI!!!"

The two lovers jolted, crashing from their pleasure prematurely. Shuichi peered over his lover's shoulder to see Tatsuha bouncing in – skidding to a halt and as he stared, bug-eyed…at them.

There was a short pause then Shuichi opened his mouth.

"EEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

O-o-o-o-o-o-O

"You did that on purpose!" Eiri growled, advancing towards his little brother who was instantly off and running, rounding the table in the kitchen and using it as an obstacle against the raging fury heading his way.

"No!" Tatsuha cried with tears that were left over from laughing, "I'm sorry! Really aniki! I seriously didn't know!!!"

"How could you _not_ know?!" the elder of the two twin looking brothers asked, angrily adding, "I know Shuichi's scream can reach the hallway and he _wasn't _holding out back"

"Not with that size he can't!" Tatsuha laughed.

The blonde's left arm shook and curled into a fist, greatly tempted to kill the little spoiler. There was nothing more he wanted. Now, after the great embarrassment of Tatsuha, of all people, walking in on themright in the middle of their release, Shuichi had screamed and threw things till Tatsuha AND Eiri had to get out and take refuge in the kitchen. Truthfully, Eiri wasn't finished yet with his lover, who even after the interruptionlooked hot and frustrated**…** it was...almost impossible not to want to be wrapped around his little lover again.

"That's it. OUT!" Eiri ordered, pointing towards the door. When Tatsuha gave him a huh' look, he repeated, "Get out right now! I have to go to school and Shuichi is also going, so you can't stay! OUT!!!!"

"But Eiri!" Tatsuha cried, "You **_said_** I could stay here!!"

"I don't remember. Get out." he caught Tatsuha's lapel and started dragging, having none of the crying and wailing from his brother.

"Noo!" Tatsuha wailed, "I'll tell! I'll tell Tohma you're doing it everywhere with one of his teachers! I'll tell him! I'll tell him-" he tried to struggle free but his brother's hold was much stronger, and resigning to fate, Tatsuha sniffed to the apartment goodbye. It would have been so much better if he'd stayed here without having anyone at his back...like his sister for instance.

Suddenly as they arrived at the hallway the door opened, Shuichi stepped out with nothing on but Eiri's blood red shirt hanging down just past his thighs. "What's all this noise?" he asked looking down at the teary eyed Tatsuha, "Oh- leaving already? I was just about to make a little breakfast. Won't you stay for some?"

Eiri started to say,"Shu-" But was immediately cut off by Tatsuha's enthusiasm,

"YES!! I Want to eat here!"

Eiri disapproved instantly and called out Shuichi's name, but when the man turned around and looked at him with wide, bright sparkling eyes and an innocent head tilting pose the writer couldn't find it in himself to say anything. _Just keep an eye on Tatsuha._ He convinced himself, and headed to the kitchen.

By the end of breakfast, through Tatsuha's slyness andShuichi's naivety, Eiri had ended up agreeing to the very thing he was against. Letting Tatsuha stay.

"Alright," Shuichi called, pausing at the entranceway and putting on his sneakers, "We're going." and gave a cheery wave and exited the door ahead of Eiri who had paused to threaten Tatsuha.

Eiri himself took time to threaten Tatsuha, "Don't drink all the beer and this place will be the same when we get back. If you break anything, so help me I'll--"

"Yeah yeah-" Tatsuha gestured away with a hand, "Do you hear that? I think he's calling you." he grinned at Eiri's glare as the man grabbed his car keys and headed out. Tatsuha listened to them bicker out the hallway before finally hearing the sound of a victory squeal from Shuichi. _"_My brother is so whipped," Tatsuha grinned, relishing he'd finally discovered the way to Eiri's apartment wasn't through Eiri but through Shuichi. He shut the door and turned, headed for the living room and TV.

//////--///////--////////

Eiri glanced at the passenger seat where the teacher sat quietly. He'd been waiting for the brat to say something. Sure that as soon as they walked out he argued a little over letting Tatsuha stay but Shuichi's argument of 'He's your brother be kind' really worked and he'd settled with a sullen 'fine' and decided to just ignore him all the way to school. Which had been working when Shuichi suddenly fell silent for the last ten minutes.

He was just about to open his mouth and ask when Shuichi spoke, "Yuki...I'm so nervous." he paused when the student parked his car at the end of the street where it was a safe distance for him to be dropped off without anyone seeing. "With the monitoring of the clubs I might run into her. Then what will I say?"

"Whatever you want."

"Yuki I'm serious!" Shuichi replied pouting.

Eiri met his gaze and responded; "Who said I wasn't?" he looked up ahead to nothing in particular and continued, "It's fine whatever you say. None of that will make a difference now. Last night, you said that when you rejected her she asked about me and you didn't answer- she may already have made assumptions about us and all you can do now is deny or accept it."

Looking down at his lap Shuichi struggled with himself, saying, "I'm so jealous you could say all that Yuki. But...I don't want any trouble. What if...what if she really did know about...about what we're doing and tells? I don't want trouble, ever, Yuki!"

Right in the middle of pulling out a pack of unopened cigarettes, Eiri stopped and leaned back on his chair, eyes slowly raking over the small man staring back at him eagerly "It doesn't matter. If she wants to tell everyone she'll find a way on how to do it." He raised a hand and cradled the heart shaped face saying softly, "Trouble was one thing we couldn't pick out if we wanted this relationship to work."

Touched, Shuichi kissed his palm and leaned towards him, embracing his ever wise and cool lover before pushing back and saying with a smile, "Okay then! Whatever happens let's always be together, let's always be happy!!"

"Baka," the student said, watching as the man regained his usual self and opened the door, "Is there such a thing?" he said beneath his breath, watching him walk away. He stayed for a moment before putting away his cigs and started the car.

_I guess there is. _

O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O

"Look look! There's Shindou sensei!!" a girl from class 4 squealed before gesturing to the other students to look out the window.

There was a great deal of laughter and calls from the window as the teacher entered the school gate. It seemed really all the students adored the pink haired sensei.

"Hanako, what are you doing there? Come on here and look!" a friend called out.

The auburn haired student nodded but stayed unmoved at her desk, "Later." she whispered, and concentrated her eyes down on her paper she'd been pretending to work on for the last minute just so she didn't have to get up and see...see that teacher who had _rejected_ her...for...for a _guy._

It seemed that not a moment longer the very teacher she had been thinking about entered the room, laughing and smiling at the students and stopping by to _only_ get the role on who was there and then dismissing everyone to go to their club areas. Hanako was one of the many who piled towards the door, being the last one out of the door.

"Hanako." came her teacher's voice. She looked at him; already the tears starting to come, oh she's never felt so sad like this! "Hanako can I talk to you for a moment?" he pleaded.

Hardening her stare she met his eyes and turned away quickly, "No." she began to walk down the hall, her pace quickening as she heard the teacher hurrying also.

"Hanako! Please, just for a moment!! I want to tell-"

"I don't want to hear it!" she cried, pushing and kicking the entrance door, she descended down the steps and added harshly, "I'm going home so leave me alone!"

"But if you'd just listen-" Hanako heard no more. What had she been thinking coming here in the first place knowing that Shindou sensei would be here? What was she hoping for?

She'd been too busy thinking she didn't see a person coming her way and pummeled against the student. Looking away from the ground and up she blinked at the person. She didn't need to say anything.

"Rei!" Shuichi gasped; shocked beyond words at who he was seeing at that moment. He waited for his hallucinations to end, but there remained Miyari's sister, hair tied in a ponytail _and_ wearing Genesis' uniform. "Rei- what are you doing here?"

"I'm a transfer student, teacher. Hanako-chan doesn't really want to talk to you, so I don't think teachers should harass their students anymore."

"But...how?" Shuichi began- ignoring what she'd said.

Placing a hand on Hanako's shoulder, Rei said in a monotone voice, "Hanako's mother was kind enough to allow her daughter's long distance friend to transfer to this school. She's in the school's head committee group and contributes a large sum of money to the funding of this school, so Principal Seguchi couldn't really say no."

Shuichi's brow wrinkled in confusion. "Eh...but why did Miyari- wait, does Miyari know you're here right now?"

"Teacher," Rei began with an indifferetair in her voice, "my private life is none of your business. Come on Hanako. You promised to show me around school today."

"Y-yes." Hanako stumbled, turning a different direction from the teacher, saying, "I'll show you the clubs first." and with that the two were off, leaving a very confused teacher behind.

Shuichi's hand began to shake, he hadn't thought of Rei since they left Kobe, and now on top of the problem he had with Hanako, there's also Rei...God, he needed someone to talk to right now!!!

Then as if heaven sent, a voice from the gate called out, "Hey Shu!" and turning around with pools of tears gathered around his eyes, he looked up at to spy his angelic best friend and shouted,

"Hirooo!!"

////////--/////////--/////////

"So that's what happened." Hiro said, nodding as he went along Shuichi's story. He grinned, "I feel kind of flattered that you'd tell me about Hanako's confession."

"Hiro" Shuichi sighed, slumping on the teacher's desk, "It seems all my problems are catching up to me."

"Well you reap what you sow. Besides, I can finally call Miyari back at Kobe and tell her that her sister's fine. She's going ballistic; as it turns out that kid's been missing for a few weeks now and Miyari had no clue she's actually not in the city anymore."

"What?!" Shuichi exclaimed, "Rei's been missing and Miyari or you hadn't told me? What kind of friends are you!!!"

"Well it wasn't my idea," Hiro defended, "Miyari didn't want you thinking it was your fault. Besides, Rei has some complex problem involving you so she called me to keep an eye out. She only needed one person to help her and you've become unreliable since you've met your new lover. That 'blonde' Miyari said." Hiro placed a hand over Shuichi's open mouth and smiled, "Now let's focus like you said. Miyari is here and she got Hanako to somehow help her move here _and_ she knows about you and Yuki. Chances are she probably already told Hanako."

"I know that! But I still have to talk to Hanako and tell her the truth on what's going on with Yuki and me! I don't want her to think of something and over exaggerate it! I want her to know facts that me and Yuki are going out!"

Hiro grinned and began to search around his desk, shaking his head as he said, "Well I just came here today to get some paperwork done, but now that I'm talking to you, I have to say that you're a little smart on your part. If there's nothing worst in the world to a girl it's probably being rejected and right now Hanako's probably doubting if she's so unattractive even a guy could beat her at this whole love life thing."

Processing what Hiro just said Shuichi shook his head, "I'll just talk to her after school, but right now I have to go and walk around school and check on the clubs."

"Hey Shu!" Hiro called. When Shuichi looked at him he grinned confidently, "You'll think of something."

"Thanks Hiro. You're the best."

///////-/////////-/////////

"Swimming club, fifteen members, Reading club twelve members, Volleyball club fourteen members, Band club eight, Homework/Study club twenty, Cooking club twelve, Track team seven, photography nine...and tea club," Shuichi stopped, sighing when the students informed him that Hanako had gone, "nine students."

_This is a nice turn-out._ Shuichi thought, _I've never seen so many involved with clubs and I still have a few more to go. It's like a regular school day._ Turning down the hallway Shuichi checked the next room he was heading towards in his clipboard. The computer room. "Huh, I wonder what club this is?" Shuichi asked himself, reaching for the door when it suddenly opened.

"Hey brat." came the all too familiar voice, sending chills down the teacher's spine.

Shuichi looked over his shoulder and saw a few more students parked in front of computers turning their heads towards the door. _Darn, I guess I can't hug him._ "Ah Yuki-kun!" Shuichi greeted, "I'm here to take the role for this...club...um?"

"Journalism, stupid." the last part was soft and mocking. Typical of his lover.

"Good morning sensei!" The students waved, some with eyes sparkling as they stared at Eiri's back.

"How many-"

"Eighteen." Eiri said, followed by an exasperated gesture towards the girls who was waving at him.

Shuichi jotted it down and nodded, "Makes sense since Yuki is here." he smiled up at his secret lover and nodded, "Okay then, I'll be going." he started to turn when he suddenly remembered, "Oh Yuki!" he lowered his voice so that the others wouldn't hear, "We're going...to eat lunch together right?"

"Yeah." The student agreed, looking down at his watch before saying, "I'll be on the slopes near the track field behind the West building in...five minutes." he paused looking down at Shuichi's unmarked club list, "So...be there when you're finished." before Shuichi could say anything the writer had already turned around and closed the door.

_Cute._ Shuichi thought to himself, reminiscing at the pink tint on Eiri's cheek. He'd like to see that again someday, and then turning around Shuichi hurried off to the next club.

In record time, Shuichi marked off the rest of clubs in no longer than twenty minutes, it would have taken a shorter time to do, but there was just too many students who had been eager to talk to him and he had no choice but to converse with them while thinking of a certain someone waiting for him. He just hoped now that Eiri wasn't serious about the whole five minute thing.

"Yuki!" Shuichi waved, stopping before the blonde who was leaning against the tree with a notebook on his lap. "Sorry I'm late! I'm really sorry!" and to his relief Eiri waved it off, setting aside his writing and replying,

"It's fine. I did say until you're finished taking the roles."

Shuichi nodded and wasted no time in presenting him their lunch, sealed in a large black bento box and wrapped in a green cloth containing inside two fried fishes, rice, and omelet among other things. Taking some in his chopsticks, Shuichi pointed it towards Eiri and said, "Itadakimasu!"

//////--///////--///////

"What?" Hanako asked, looking surprised at Rei. She bit her bottom lip and looked down, "I...I'm not sure about this."

Rei sensed hesitation and shook her head, "You knew he would be here today and that's why you came, because you wanted to see him. The only way now for you to get his attention is to remove the distraction."

"Yuki...kun." Hanako whispered. "Rei...I really don't want to hurt my teacher."

"You won't." the other replied, "You were eager yesterday when we discussed the plan. Don't be a coward! After this, when there's no more Yuki both of us will compete with each other and neither of us will have an advantage!" Hanako didn't reply, since she met Rei the dirty feeling in her began to swell up more and more each hour they were together.

"I don't know Rei." Hanako repeated, flinching when Rei stood before her and reached in her bag. Hanako watched her for a moment extricate a long metallic can with red stripes in the middle, and with a 'clink' it stood right in front of her.

"Then think about it. When you've made up your mind I'll know before school lets out." The auburn haired girl watched Rei walk off with authority, disappearing from the door and leaving her alone. Then her eyes moved at the can, and standing up she took it in hand and exited the room.

She pondered over _everything_ she would be risking if she went ahead with the plan. Was being in love with her teacher really worth turning on a fellow student? The decision weighed heavily on her…

Hanako looked out the hallway windows and up at the blue sky, contemplating, _Is he?_ Her train of thoughts stopped abruptly when she caught a movement at the corner of her eyes. Curious, she looked down among the trees, squinting a little past the branches that served as a curtain to the people below. Beneath she could make out two persons, one was smaller than the other, and one had strawberry colored hair and the other gold...Yuki-kun and Shindou sensei.

She watched for a moment as the two conversed, then slowly her classmate tugged at Shindou sensei's hand and the man himself fell on the teen with their lips meeting. And the worst part for Hanako was when her teacher didn't push Yuki away but instead relaxed into him and the kiss, allowing himself to be dominated...by...by a younger man and...and relishing into it.

Feelings of hate swelled immediately and the confusion in Hanako cleared. What little conscience she'd been nurturing died a swift death, the question she had presenting a simple answer. Her fingers around the can shook, and then tightened.

//////--////////--///////

Shuichi opened his eyes slowly as his lover's lips pulled away, the weight on him shifting to his side. He wanted to stay like this for a a moment longer. It seemed that each time they were together the times were shorter and shorter...and then everything ending in an instant.

"We shouldn't have done that." Shuichi whispered, touching his lips, "Someone could have seen." but nevertheless the two kissed again, "I love you Yuki." Shuichi confessed for the thousandth time, sitting himself up and regaining control before something more demanding happened. Shuichi cleaned up fast, packing away all their left over before standing up and smiling down at his lover, "Yuki, I'll see you later then, okay?"

Eiri nodded, and Shuichi was off with a happy smile.

/////-///////-/////

Eiri looked down at his watch. 2:30. "Where is that brat?" he asked himself, irritated. School had let out thirty minutes ago, and he'd been waiting attheir agreed spot near his car, but it seemed that Shuichi was taking a habit of being late today.

Suddenly Eiri's phone rang.

"Hey, where are you." he demanded more than asked.

His lover's shy voice immediately softened him, "Oh, hi Yuki! I'm sorry, but can you just go ahead of without me? Something came up...so if it's okay- I'll just take the bus. I don't know when I'll be back so could you start dinner if I'm not back by around six?"

Eiri raised an eyebrow, suspicious and curious at the same time. "I guess that's fine." He finally said, "I'll go now then."

"Okay. Bye Yuki." click.

He didn't approve of Shuichi's call just now. Something had surely come up, and Eiri hesitated for a moment, planning on turning around and back to school just to check on Shuichi...but if he did that and the teacher was right in the middle of talking to Hanako, she might shut him out.

Eiri drove home, confident that Shuichi would set it all straight to Hanako- he'll get it through to her that he and Shuichi were together...and that nothing she did would change that.

Eiri walked silently to his apartment, pausing only before the door in curiosity when he heard a few banging noises inside. He looked down at the crack of the door and noticed several footsteps running to and fro, their shadows going back and forth. With a frown Eiri flung the door open, saying out loud, "Tatsuha what are you---"

He stopped in the middle of his sentence when he saw his things scattered all over the apartment and Tatsuha shouting from somewhere, "Aniki watch out!" but Eiri didn't have time, there was pain and he fell to the floor, everything all around him darkening.

/////--///////--/////

_Uncomfortable._ That was how Shuichi felt, sitting at some park bench and watching the sun slowly die down.

After the bell had rung that afternoon he checked the school grounds, bid the students goodbye and even asked around where Hanako was. When he received no answer, he finally headed for the school gate ready to lock it up and meet with his lover who must have been waiting impatiently at the end of the street, impatient, but ever waiting.

That was when he saw the last of the students waiting at the gate. Rei. "We didn't really get to spend time when you visited, so today maybe you could spare a little time for me." she said. Shuichi didn't argue. He wanted to be with Yuki, but Rei was still family to him and spending a few hours with her wouldn't kill him. So after the phone call to his lover, they both began to walk. Rei had already changed into her normal clothing so they didn't stand out, but after the first thirty minutes in silence Shuichi decided he could help lighten the mood if they went and had a snack.

After buying hamburgers and sodas from a family restaurant, Shuichi followed Rei who led them to a park and together sat at the bench, munching on their food. They ate slowly, another half hour passing by.

**"It was all Miyari's fault,"** Rei finally said, breaking the first layer of silence, "you left **because** of her. That's why I left her."

"She's worried about you. After Hiro tells her you're here she'll drive down and drag you back to Kobe."

"I won't go back."

Shuichi stopped eating, "You have to Rei. It's not a matter of choice for you; she's your sister and guardian."

"Then come back with me." she said.

It was the teacher's turn to be stubborn now. "No."

"But why? You don't have to go back for Miyari! Just come back for _me_!"

Shuichi shook his head, "I'm sorry."

"No!" Rei cried, shaking her head side to side while looking at him beseechingly, "I've never said anything before but I've always liked you ever since I was little! You're all I ever heard from my big sisters and so I had no choice but to fall for you too! Is it really hard to like me?"

"No of course not!" Shuichi objected, "It's not that at all!"

"You've been so busy with that guy you're hurting everyone and rejecting all the women who love you!"

Shuichi stood up, all his food falling on the ground, shouting to the world, "Because I don't love any of those women!!"

Rei looked away, clear in the eyes she was about to cry. She turned away. "I could love you more than...more than that guy could."

"Rei." Shuichi said softly, his hand resting on her head, "It's not a matter of gender you know. If it was I wouldn't have given yours and Hanako's feelings some consideration. If I loved Yuki because he was a guy I could easily be attracted to Hiro, but I'm not. I don't love Yuki because he's a guy, I love him because I've never felt so happy anywhere else than just being with him."

Rei looked up meaning to ask _Even with sister?_ But the look in Shuichi's eyes answered it already. She screwed her eyes shut and shuddered away from Shuichi's touch, vehemently saying, "I'll never believe you! Not until I see it, not until you prove it! And you'll never be able to! I'll never see you the same as you were when you were with _sister._"

Shuichi knelt down and began to gather his scattered food in a plastic bag while saying, "I'm sorry that you feel that way Rei." he stood up and smiled, "But I have faith in Yuki and I know we'll always be together no matter what. I'll figure something out, and when I'm at lost, Yuki will know what to do next. That's a part of him I also love, he's ready to catch me every time I need him."

Shuichi bent low and smiled at her, kissing her forehead before saying, "You'll see it someday."

/////-///////-/////

Shindou-sensei stepped in the elevator, eager to see his lover. Saturday was almost over...and even though he hadn't talked to Hanako at all, at least he and Rei had come into some kind of understanding.

Yes, Shuichi was confident that she'd see someday and get over him, and after telling her that, Shuichi decided to focus on the personat hand: Reiko. He asked her what she's been doing for the past months and she told him aside from scheming on how to get him back she had been writing and reading a lot in Greek. As it turned out Reiko had a great want to leave the country and travel the world with her sister.

Shuichi then told Reiko about his teaching, how he loved his students but was transferred to class 3-7. And as time passed…during their time together…

… the gap between them that had been left behind when Shuichi was in Kobe **_closed_**. Shuichi bought Rei souvenirs and the two went their separate ways. Rei surely pacified at the moment that even though she may not be worth as much as Yuki, _I'm not completely invisible to Shu-chan._

"Hello?" Shuichi called out into the dark apartment, kicking the door shut behind him. "Yuki! Why are all the lights off?! Yuki? Yuki? Yuki?" Shuichi finally got the light on and gasped at the mess. He hopped over the debris on the floor, wondering at the chaos when his lover was usually so neat and tidy. "Yuki why is all your stuff on the ground?" He gasped, moving further into the apartment, "Are you moving out--"

He stopped at the living room, scanning the room and crying out in surprise when two bulging red eyes glared at him from the corner of the room.

"Ah!!" he cried out, panicking as to why there was a man tied to the ground, but peering closer as he clowly approached, he identified him as, "Tatsuha?"

"Mmmff!!"

Rushing to him andquickly took off the gag in the young man's mouth and untiedhim, "Oh my god, Tatsuha are you alright?!"

"Ugh. Yeah..." Tatsuha replied groggily, shaking his hands and feet free, happy that they were once again moveable, "Damn that witch can really tie a knot."

"Oh my goodness- where is Yuki, Tatsuha?!" Shuichi grabbed him by the collar and started shaking him, "Where is he Tatsuha! Where? Where?!"

"I...don't know!' Tatsuha replied through the chokehold, "Some gang took him. They left a note on the table though." Shuichi dropped Tatsuha like a bat and grabbed for the coffee table, reading the two worded note.

"AT SCHOOL?!" Shuichi read out loud. He whipped out his cell phone and dialed quickly, "Hello? Hello Hiro? Hiro I need you to come down here at Yuki's apartment right now! Yuki's been kidnapped by a gang!!!" the news and Everything moved quickly after that, everything happening so fast that the next thing Shuichi knew he was racing down the streets on the back of Hiro's motorcycle after putting Tatsuha safely in bed.

"Hey Shu did you call the police?" Hiro asked.

Shuichi shook his head, "No. Tatsuha said the neighbors probably already did."

"But why at school?" Hiro asked, still puzzling over the story Shuichi had told him, "Hey, you don't think that it has anything to do with Rei...do you?"

"No...but Tatsuha said there was a girl who seemed to know Yuki pretty well...and it was Hanako."

Hiro's tires squealed into a stop before the school gates, "Are you serious? She's in a gang?"

"I don't know!!!" Shuichi yelled, frantically hopping off and jiggling the gate, five other locks had been added to the one the school used and seeing no point in using the key he boosted himself and jumped over, Hiro followed behind.

"Yuki!" Shuichi began calling, cupping his hands by his mouth, looking around as he ran along the courtyard towards the entrance, "Yuki!!" he called again. An arm reached out to him and grabbed a hold of the back of his shirt, "Hiro let me go! Let me go!" Shuichi began to struggle.

But Hiro didn't let go, swallowing a lump in his throat he instructed calmly, "Shuichi...look around us."

"What Hiro?" Shuichi asked.

"Look at the school buildings."

Impatiently Shuichi did as he was told. He had to focus a little before he noticed that someone had sprayed all over the main school building a message: **_SHINDOU SENSEI AND YUKI EIRI ARE HAVING AN ILLICIT TEACHER/STUDENT AFFAIR_**. The kanji for 'affair,' 'teacher' and 'student' being the largest characters on the wall.

Shuichi froze as if his feet were rooted to the ground, his whole body shaking, and face pale. He tried to look away, but it was everywhere!! It was on the school gate walls, written over and over and over again, written in every sizes the message conveyed in every color, blue red, orange, purple and yellow.

The two teachers were startled when a voice behind them whistled. "Someone was busy." K said, entering the scene with one Fujisaki.

"You guys!" Shuichi cried, rushing to the two, "You have to help me find Yuki! Please help me!"

K looked at him questioningly, "Normally the first thing to do is erase all of these vandalism to the property. This particular secret isn't really something to be shared to everyone."

"K! I don't care about the messages!" Shuichi argued, eyes raking over the school property but dismissing it all entirely, "I have to find and make sure Yuki is alright!!"

"But Shindou-san, the people who did this might be dangerous! We have to call the police!" And as if to make a point Fujisaki started dialing in his cell phone, only to have it taken from him and thrown to the ground.

"No! I'm going to go look for Yuki!" Shuichi shouted, heading for the main building.

"Well, he's at the rooftop on the main building." Hiro said. When the three gave him a questioning look, he pointed to the rooftop of a building and asked, "Isn't that a bunch of kids up there? And the one tied and on the ledge of the roof is Yuki isn't it?"

"Oh my gawd you're right!" Fujisaki cried.

K shared, "I guess those are the leaders up there." pointing at the three people standing near the fence and looking down at them. K didn't recognize any of them except for the one in the middle, "Hey...isn't that Kayou from class four?" and with a little grin he added, "Well I'll be. Hey Shu, look it's--"he turned to the teacher to point it out, but where Shuichi once stood was now empty. "Shu?" he asked, looking around to find a cloud of dirt leading to the main building.

/////--//////--//////

Eiri opened his eyes, _Eff._ he cursed at his throbbing head, it felt like someone had hit him with a hammer- not that a small lamp post made any difference. He tried to move, but looking down at himself he saw the reason why he couldn't. Someone had been busy tying his hands and feet, even to the extent of gagging him. He had been freaked to the core before when Tatsuha had called out his name, but now that he was here, hanging on the edge of the school's rooftop with time all alone in his mind to think, none of this was really a surprise now. _Typical..._ He thought, seeing from the corner of his eye Hanako sitting next to him and right in the middle of snapping a flip knife shut.

_So the monster comes out._ He said to himself. In the four years that Eiri had been in class four, he had come to know each and every single student in his class whether he wanted to or not. Secrets had been shared and along those lines, he had learned that Hanako was part of a gang in the past, and not just a member, but the very leader. That was until a close friend of hers died in the middle of their 'prank...and that was when she had decided to go straight from there on and out. _Or, at least as straight as her little twisted mind would allow…_

She noticed his attention and leaned forward, snapping out the knife long enough to cut his gag then looked away.

"You must really want him." Yuki grunted, blinking his half eyes to open wide, his eyesight blurry, "to revert back to your old self."

Her eyes rose to him, half of her face curtained by her side swept bangs. "There's no other way now is there?" she asked, standing up and walking to him, pushing Eiri with her black booted foot. Her voice lowered threateningly, "You know what I hate most about you?" she asked, her other foot sending Eiri rolling on the ground, "How you have the lousiest personality!!!!" she knelt down and grabbed a handful of his hair, "Yet you still managed to become popular without having to say a single kind word to anyone!"

"Nobody forced the school to write a paper about the new 'gaijin-looking' student that moved in to class four." Eiri replied, keeping his eyes cool unto her fiery ones.

"Shut up!!" she yelled, slamming him down on the ground. "You act all calm and look down at everyone, but class four overlooked it because of your past- and everyone loved your indifference even though you were cold to everyone and everything- how could anyone love you! How could anyone want to accept you!"

By then Eiri could feel the blood oozing from his nose and at the corner of his lips. Just when he thought he really was just going to remain tied up beaten hostage, she roughly pushed him down on the ground and pinned him with her knee on the small of his back, harshly cutting his bound hands and feet free from the rope.

"Look at you now!" she laughed bitterly, "All bruised and beaten, all you ever had was your looks- that's all anyone ever saw in you!" she charged towards him with both hands formed into strong fists, thirteen years of karate suddenly coming in hand.

Eiri dodged the first attack, but the second came squarely at his shoulder, knocking him back.

"Nothing in you is worth anything but your looks! Your looks that deceived anyone!" she yelled, coming towards him again.

"Pisses me off." Yuki mumbled beneath his breath, his golden round eyes darkening and narrowing even more. He grabbed hold of Hanako's fist and twisted her arm to her back, pulling it up painfully as he growled, "You're right. I'm not worth a cent without my looks, but it wasn't me who chose to deceive anyone. Our classmates chose to praise me for my looks, I acted indifferent. They praised that too and there was nothing else I could do."

"Don't fuck with me." she whispered slowly- her leg rounding and twisting towards him, sending Eiri flying near the entrance door. "You can run." she said with a grin, "Go ahead and head to the door, it's unlocked."

"I'm not going to run." Eiri replied, "You clearly have unfinished business you want to settle." and proving him right Hanako reached in her khaki pocket, extricating her Swiss knife.

"You bet I do." she replied, her feet seemingly dragging towards him as she looked at him for the first time with the eyes Eiri knew from the old Hanako, "I just don't understand how something so pure like sensei could be with you." _h_er face contorted in the most horrific way as her anger from rejection and from witnessing their happiness earlier that day surged to the surface, "I just hate how it doesn't make sense that someone as mean and impure like you could be with teacher!!" and appearing as if she was swaying side to side with her knife in hand, she charged up towards her sworn enemy.

As she had spoken Eiri had looked down at his feet, then when silence reigned he looked up to see her nearing him rapidly, but it was all slow to him as he replied, "I don't get it...either."

/////--//////--///////

Shuichi was almost out of breath, but remembering his lover all alone at the top of the building gave him sufficient energy and immediately his legs kicked up again. They were really determined to share Shuichi's and Eiri's secret. Outside the school there was spray paint, inside there were flyers. It was no use, Shuichi wouldn't be able to take them all off in time, _and_ paint over the walls outside.

_Argh! That's fine!_ He shouted inside himself, _I don't care! ...If everyone knew...then...then that's the end of my career. Fine. But right now I have to go to Yuki!_

The teacher was nearing the end of his run, and he had to admit, Hanako really didn't want him going up. On the first floor the hallways were all blocked with chairs, but Shuichi tunneled right through them no problem. On the second floor someone had set up traps. The only reason he knew of this was the because of the arrow that had whizzed passed his head when he curiously stepped at a rope tied across the hallway. He was so close, one more level to go and 4th floor is where the storage room is, and passed that was the door to the roof.

"Hey- what've we got here."

Shuichi stopped, his feet skidding on the floor. Just ahead were a couple of teenagers, sitting on desks parked outside the hallway. One guy with reddish blonde hair looked down at him.

"Is this the guy Hanako's harping about?"

His friends nodded, some taking out chains from their pocket and winding it around their wrists.

"Geez, all this trouble for this kid?"

"Actually..." Shuichi said, "I'm...I'm a teacher."

One of the girls laughed and pointed at him, "This is the _molester?_"

"Hey-" Shuichi began, but was cut off as the group started to advance towards him, one of the guys licking his fingers as he muttered 'cute' in a hoarse voice, making the teacher shiver.

"Alright, get him guys!" one of them called and they started for him suddenly, all together, looking far too bloodthirsty and dangerous.

Shuichi began to shake uncontrollably, wondering what he was going to do when he heard gun sounds. Thinking that they were shooting at him, Shuichi stood stiff as a board and cowered inside, but when it stopped and he saw a few of the kids laying on the ground, he heard,

"Don't worry, it's just rubber bullets. Now go on Shu!" Hiro called, running alongside K and Suguru with their US military uniform, "We'll handle this guys!" he said and gave his best friend a thumbs up along K and a forced Suguru.

Shuichi nodded and swallowed his gratitude, running past the knocked out teens and up the next stairs shouting, "We'll go drinking sometime guys!! My treat!" and he was gone.

"Alright," K said in English, propping up a desk as their barrier, "It's show time."

_I'm so close!!_ Shuichi cried joyously, overtaking three steps at a time while pulling himself up by the railing. First it was nine, then six, three and at last he reached the door. "Yuki-" he began to cry, but as he opened the door he could see his lover standing in front of Hanako...who was running after him...with a knife in hand.

_knife._

_/////--//////--/////_

"**_Yuki!"_**

Shuichi saw the sudden pained expression on his lover's face, and automatically his feet moved and ran to him, falling on his knees with the injured writer, arms wrapped around Eiri as the teen slumped against his shoulder.

Hanako dropped her bloodied weapon, "Tea-teacher?" she moved to touch his shoulder when suddenly his head turned and looked at her- with what Hanako can only remember the only time she's ever seen anger in his eyes, his brows gathered as he leaned away from her hand, arms holding on to his lover tightly.

"I don't love you!" Shuichi shouted, ignoring how Hanako flinched at his harsh words. "I'll never love you or anyone else!" he continued, tears gathering in his eyes, "I should have told you straight and I should never have dodged you! Yes, Yuki and I are having an affair! He and I are lovers and we're both guys! But I don't care because I love Yuki more than I could love Rei or you!"

Shuichi sniffed and buried his face in Eiri's neck, inhaling his lover's scent as he mumbled,

"I should have just told you. I'm sorry Hanako...I'm only in love with Yuki."

"Baka."

Shuichi's eyes opened wide. Pushing back, he looked up to see his lover looking down at him _softly_ with his golden eyes. "Yuki?" Shuichi asked, removing his arms around him and letting his hands cup the younger man's face, "Yuki are you alright?"

At first Shuichi thought Eiri smiled, but the man slumped against him and whispered in his ear, "Shh...quiet now and listen to what Hanako has to say."

The teacher silently nodded and turned his head back to Hanako whose eyes were dripping with tears, each one coming directly from her heart.

"I'm sorry teacher," she struggled to say, "I...I didn't mean-" she wiped her eyes on the back of her hand, "I love you so much. I've loved you since school has begun, I just couldn't take it that...that you were won over by a guy! A guy who's not even nice, always mean to people and...and then you two were so happy...I didn't understand why he got you...and I- I'm still in love with you- so I...I figured to tell everyone- and...and...I'm sorry teacher."

"Hanako." Shuichi interrupted, turning away from her, "I can forgive you for telling everyone our secret...but what I can't and will _never_ do is forgive you for hurting Yuki."

"Teacher..." Hanako sobbed loudly, falling to her knees, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Please don't hate me. Please never hate me. Please forgive me. Please, please, _please...teacher."_ and as Hanako started chanting and beseeching to her beloved teacher, strong arms tenderly wrapped around her and before she knew it she found herself crying into Hiro's arms.

"Hanako." Shuichi said, waiting for her to look up at him, "I'm not your teacher anymore. Hiro here came today because he was worried about you, because you're _his_ student..." he smiled, "So from now on, rely a little more in him...alright?" Shuichi got up on his feet and stumbled towards Hanako, pausing as she shut her eyes before he embraced her and said, "I can't return your feelings, but I'll _never_ hate you, _ever_. Class four was my first family, and I want them to forever have the unity that I haven't seen anywhere else. So from now on...be nice to Yuki too alright?"

Hanako nodded, arms clinging as Shuichi pulled away. She watched him return to Eiri's side still longing for him, then sadly she turned away and looked up to Hiro and smiled, "I guess I deserve to go to juvenile hall now."

"Dummy." Hiro replied, helping his student up. He placed an arm over her shoulder, "I'll take you home tonight..." he grinned, "And we've already sent your other friends home too."

Hanako leaned towards Hiro. "Thank you teacher." She whispered, strangely finding great comfort with him.

/////--///////--///////

Shuichi didn't even notice as the two left, leaving him alone with his lover who had taken the first aid kit that Hiro had brought, applying a gauze over his cut.

"Yuki...you are...alright?" Shuichi asked almost too fearfully. His Yuki nodded, but it concerned Shuichi when the man didn't offer anything more to say. "Yuki, can I...help you?" but it seemed the teen was deep in thought as his fingers reached for the bandage in the kit, fumbling it to the ground with the aid of his left hand that was shaking badly due to the cut near the shoulder.

Shuichi touched his hand, and Eiri started before meeting the teacher's eyes, expression a little surprised, only to just remember Shuichi was there. He surrendered the bandage roll, but remained silent.

"Yuki what's wrong?" Shuichi asked, his eyes meeting meeting and holding the golden gaze, his own eyes tearing up, "You scare me half to death because of all of this and you don't say a word afterwards to me. It's scaring me that you might be hurt even more than what you're telling me."

Eiri looked at his near**-**hysterical lover before opening his mouth, "I don't understand it either, why you're here with me."

"What kind of a statement is that?" Shuichi asked, appalled, but steadily wrapping the bandage unto his lover's injured shoulder.

The writer contemplated on what he was going to say, before deciding, "All the walls here reveal our secret. What will happen now?"

Shuichi sat up rigidly, worried now at his lover's words, "Yuki you're not going to break up with me over this are you?" when his lover didn't answer, the teacher continued solemnly, "Does it really matter what I say?" he looked away from the eyes that watched him intently, making him feel _vulnerable_ and _hurt_ at the same time. After all this...Yuki was now regretting it because their secret was out.

"Shuichi." Eiri called the teacher to attention, standing up before the small man. They looked at each other before Eiri reached down for his lover's cheeks and rubbed the small drops of tears away, saying, "I'm so _tired_ of you crying all the time. I feel sick when you worry...I can't sleep at night knowing you're career is on edge every day we continue this. And when you're so happy and it's all taken away in a second by the people around us...that's..." he swallowed hard before murmuring, _"That's what I hate most._ But now that all the pretending is gone, and everyone will soon know about us...can we just think about you now? About us?_" _

His lover blinked up at him. "...Yuki?"

Eiri bent and kissed his lover deeply. Then he knelt to Shuichi's level and took his hand, kissing the back of it before opening his eyes and asking his red faced lover, "I guess what I'm saying is..._let's run away_."

Purple eyes widened...

" We'll go somewhere far." Eiri said, "Just us two...and we won't return." Eiri embraced Shuichi tightly, whispering only for the two of them to hear, "...I want us to be together...also...for as long as we can."

Shuichi blinked. And blinked again. Surely any moment now he was going to wake up and this would all be a dream. His alarm clock would ring and he'd jolt out of sleep, Yuki would mutter at him about being a brat and they'd go to school together just as always… but it didn't happen.

He remained here in the most wondrous time of his life- with the man he loves- telling him the very thing he wanted to hear, the very thing that could make a destroyed world to come to pieces. _I want us to be together...for as long as we can._

Shuichi sniffed before he regained control of his arms and hugged his lover back with equal fervor, half laughing, half crying, asking, "You're not kidding me are you Yuki?" sobbing and kissing while questioning, "Can we really...do that, Yuki?"

Eiri smiled and stood up, taking Shuichi's hands along with his and pulling his lover with him towards the door. "_Let's go._" he said, the sweetest words Shuichi knew he'd treasure for eternity.

_"Let's run away, and never return." _

_O-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-O _

**AN: YES!!! YES!! I love this chapter! More for the sweetness above anything else. How about you? I really really, pictured the last part and I had no trouble getting Eiri to do it, cause I've always thought that that's what he always wanted. What we all wanted, right? **

** Goodness, I'm so happy I've finally managed to write this chapter down! The whole elope thing came to me while I was writing chapter two, maybe even way before that- so you guys can only imagine how long that was ago- BUT! It all stayed! Im sooooo happy!!!! **

**Oh, and I don't know about you guys, but I loved it when Yuki finally told Shuichi how he worries about the teacher too! **

**Ah Next chapter. I can't wait. I wish I'd hurry up already. **

**Here's a couple song that I feel I need to tell you guys to please listen to. I give these songs that sadly doesn't belong to me credit for some of the inspiration contributed. **

**Itsumo Hito from the Shuffle **

**Diary from the Shuffle series **

**Mirage of Lullaby from Shuffle Series **

**Innocence from Bubblegum Crisis Series **

**Please give a little time and share your thoughts, questions and enthusiasm with me! Sharing is caring! Thankies!**


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